Organic Quince Monstrueux de Vranja - Cydonia oblonga

The 'Monstrueux de Vranja' Quince is a fertile variety with medium vigour, with fruits that can weigh over 1kg. The quinces reach maturity around mid-October, they are pear-shaped, ribbed, yellow-green in color, covered with a light velvety film. Their highly fragrant flesh is firm and moderately sweet. Astringent when raw, the quince's flesh reveals its flavor and aroma when cooked. It is delicious in compotes with apples, in jams, jellies, fruit pastes, pies, and crumbles, as well as in sweet/savory dishes. Plants from Organic Agriculture.

The quince tree, in Latin Cydonia oblonga, belongs to the Rosaceae family, just like the apple tree and the pear tree. This bush is native to the temperate regions of the Caucasus and Iran, from the Caspian Sea to the Black Sea: Iran, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Caucasian Russia, Turkmenistan. It has naturalized in France, mainly in the South. It is a small deciduous and hardy tree, with a spreading habit and a rounded crown, whose foliage falls in autumn. The 'Monstrueux de Vranja' cultivar was selected in southern Serbia around 1898. It thrives in ordinary soil, neither too chalky nor too dry, and prefers deep and fertile land. This variety is self-fertile, but fruit production will be greater in the presence of another quince tree that blooms simultaneously. Production is good and regular in most regions.

The Organic 'Monstrueux de Vranja' Quince is moderately vigorous, it has a very upright habit and will reach an average height of 4m (13ft) and a width of 2m (7ft) at maturity, depending on growing conditions. This variety is easy to shape. Its leaves are trailing, entire, measuring 6 to 11cm (2 to 4in) long, with a velvety edge. They are a medium green colour. 'Monstrueux de Vranja' blooms in April, it is mid-late flowering and appears two days before the 'Champion' quince tree. The flowers have 5 white-pink petals and measure approximately 4cm (2in) wide. After pollination, the fruits form and reach maturity from October 15 onwards, depending on the regions. The quinces have an irregular and elongated pear shape, they are sometimes slightly heterogeneous in terms of size, and each weighs from 200g up to 1.2kg. When immature, they are green and covered with a fuzzy down. They lose a good part of this down by the end of autumn when the fruit changes colour and turns yellow. They are very hard fruits, with thick skin, enclosing firm flesh that is pale yellow to whitish in colour, pleasantly fragrant. The heart of the fruit contains brown seeds.

Easy to grow, the 'Monstrueux de Vranja' Quince likes sunny situations, rich, deep soils without excessive limestone. Very hardy, it can thrive in all regions, but needs warmth in autumn for proper fruit ripening. Since quinces affect the ripening of other pome fruits, it is advisable not to store them together. The main pests of the quince tree are aphids and codling moth, and the main diseases are quince leaf blight and brown rot (storage diseases).

For transport reasons, our tallest scions may be pruned before shipping. They are suitable for all common training sizes: cordons, espaliers, goblets, half-standards, and low standards, except for high standards. If you would like more information or advice on training your fruit trees, please do not hesitate to contact us.