Quince
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- Jojo
- maij
- Red
- maij
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» Jojo - Quince Eaters
Hi MarieWhen I was a kid my mom had both japanese quince and Cydonia growing in the garden. Us kids would cut them off the tree and eat them right there, often before they were ripe. They're incredibly sour, and I can't see doing that now, but they were very good then, along with lemons, rhubarb...
A few years ago I was working in a garden store and a guy came in looking for a real quince tree, not a flowering one. At that time they were almost impossible to get, but I found one for him at a heritage fruit place. Now you see them all over the place, and I think they've gained popularity again because of the search for something different and their beauty in the small garden. The flowers are lovely, and the leaves are large, greyish, rounded and healthy, rarely getting spots like those of apple and pears.
They way my mother wound up with hers was actually by mistake. She had a pear tree which was infected with a disease at a young age so she cut it down. The next year the root-stock sprouted and a healthy cydonia quince arose. Apparently, pear trees were often grafted onto Cydonia root stock. I wonder if they still do that?
-- posted by Jojo
» maij - Re: Quince Eaters
In response to message posted by Jojo:Hi JoJo,
I've been looking for where I saw an article about root stocks and then I started Christmas shopping and it slipped my mind...
It was from a fact sheet from Delaware's Cooperative Extention. They said "Quince has been the standard rootstock used to produce dwarf pear trees. However, quince rootstocks are not recommended since plants often will have a poor root system and are more susceptible to blowing over in high winds. In addition, these trees are sensitive to low temperatures and susceptible to Fire Blight."
In light of that, it seems odd that your mother's pear tree should have succumbed and the rootstock survived. They are pretty, little trees. I guess I'm one of the very, very few people who eat quince fresh.
Marie--
-- posted by maij
» Red - Marie, I have not...
tasted Quince since I was a child. Your article brought back many memories.Please consider submitting this article to the Nature's Treasures Event. I would be a great addition to the "Tickling the Tastebuds" category.
There are other articles on your topic that would fit there as well. I hope you will consider my request and submit a few.
-- posted by Red
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