quince 'Vranja'
quince ( syn. Cydonia oblonga 'Vranja' Nenadovic)
Delivery options
- Standard £7.95
This plant is deciduous so it will lose all its leaves in autumn, then fresh new foliage appears again each spring.
- Position: full sun
- Soil: fertile, moist but well drained
- Rate of growth: average
- Flowering period: April to May
- Hardiness: fully hardy
Native to rocky slopes in Southwestern Asia, quinces are attractive small, rounded trees with knarled and slightly contorted branches. The stems are clothed in shallow bowl-shaped, pale pink to white flowers in late spring, and these are followed by very fragrant pale green, pear-like fruits. These ripen in autumn to a golden yellow, and grow up to 8cm long. They are too bitter and hard to eat fresh, but when cooked the flesh softens and turns pink and makes a delicious jam. It is a very hardy plant, but it needs warmth and sun to fruit well, so in colder climates it is best trained against a south facing wall. It works well in oriental style gardens and it has received the Award of Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society.
When planting your quince, prepare a hole up to three times the diameter of its root system. Fork over the base of the pit in readiness, incorporating plenty of organic matter into the backfill and planting hole. Avoiding frozen and waterlogged soil, trees should be planted out as they arrive. If you've ordered a bare root tree, soak the roots in a bucket of water for half an hour prior to planting, or if this is not possible, they can be heeled in temporarily, covering their roots with soil, or potted up. Ensure newly planted quince trees receive ample watering during their initial growing season. Prune in late winter or early spring, removing diseased, damaged, congested or crossing shoots. Shoots that are growing in unwanted directions can also be pruned out. The fruits can be stored in a cool, dry and dark place on shallow trays for up to three months. Allow the fruits to mature for six weeks before using.