Organic Quince Portugal - Cydonia oblonga

The 'Portugal' Cydonia oblonga forms a small tree with a rounded habit, capable of both decorating the garden in spring with its flowering, providing shade, and producing excellent quality fruits in autumn. It produces a very large fruit, measuring 8 to 11 centimetres (3 to 4 inches) in diameter, weighing 700 to 900 grams, with a pear-shaped, ribbed, and slightly flattened base. Its thick skin is golden yellow in colour, with greenish hues on the shaded side, and is covered with a light fuzzy layer that disappears more or less when fully ripe. Its pale yellow flesh is firm, hard, fine, highly fragrant, moderately sweet, and has a slightly astringent taste when eaten, containing brown seeds. While astringent when raw, the flesh of the quince reveals its flavour and aromas when cooked, in countless sweet or savoury recipes. Hardy, vigorous, and resistant to diseases, the quince tree is easy to grow and requires almost no maintenance.

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 shrub is native to temperate regions of the Caucasus and Iran, from the Caspian Sea to the Black Sea: Iran, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Caucasian Russia, Turkmenistan. It has become naturalized in France, mainly in the South.

The 'Portugal' variety was described in literature around 1760. This quince tree forms a small bushy tree, with a spreading habit and a rounded crown, reaching a height of 4 metres (13 feet), with a diameter of 2 to 3 metres (7 to 10 feet). It is recognizable by its twisted branches, with a greyish-brown bark covered with lenticels. Its deciduous foliage consists of oblong, alternate leaves measuring 6 to 10cm (2 to 4in) in length and 4 to 6cm (2in) in width, with wavy edges, almond green colour, and silver-white undersides, turning yellow-orange in autumn before falling. In April-May, the solitary flowers appear as pink buds, then open up into a wide corolla with 5 petals, measuring 3 to 5cm (1 to 2in) in diameter, white, tinged with pale pink. It is a remarkably decorative flowering in spring, fragrant and particularly attractive to bees and nectar-loving insects. This hardy tree can withstand temperatures as low as -25°C, but dislikes summer humidity, which can cause leaf and fruit spots, as well as entomosporiosis. Its late flowering is not easily affected by spring frosts. An self-fertile variety, not requiring other quince trees nearby for pollination, although the presence of another quince tree will improve fertility. The fruit harvest begins around late September and continues until November, as they ripen.

Quinces are harvested by hand before they fall from the tree, to avoid damage. The fruits can be consumed right after harvest. Their hard and astringent flesh makes them unpleasant to eat raw, so it is essential to cook them. The flesh oxidizes quickly once the skin is removed, but without altering the taste. Quinces are not very sweet, but they are particularly rich in fibre, especially pectin, a naturally gelling carbohydrate. They are also rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, and minerals (copper and potassium). This natural pectin richness facilitates the transformation of fruits into jams, quince pastes, or jellies. When combined with apples, quinces are delicious in compotes. They also add their flavours to sweet recipes (crumbles, tarts, cakes, etc.) as well as accompanying savoury dishes with poultry (guinea fowl, duck, etc.), pork, game, or fish (salmon, sea bream, etc.), or in harmony with a cheese platter. Since quinces affect the ripening of other pome fruits, it is advisable not to store them together.

Easy to cultivate and not demanding, the quince tree prefers a sunny exposure, ordinary soil, rich, deep, and not overly calcareous. The 'Portugal' Cydonia oblonga offers a abundant harvest and quick fruiting, around 3 to 4 years, with optimal fruit production after 5 to 6 years. It is suitable for cultivation in all regions, but requires warmth in autumn for good fruit ripening. With a wide range of quince tree varieties, it is easy to find the one that best suits your desires.