Pseudocydonia sinensis

One wonders why Pseudocydonia sinensis, also known as the Chinese Quince, is not more commonly planted in our gardens, given its countless qualities. Perhaps it is due to its reputation as a frost-sensitive plant that has preceded it since the end of the 19th century. This large, thornless shrub has since proven its ability to survive very cold winters if the conditions are met. It offers permanent appeal, through its beautiful bark, its pink spring flowering followed by large edible and fragrant quinces, not to mention its incandescent autumn colours, which provide a spectacle until late in the season. It is a remarkable plant: superb, fruitful, and robust, it undoubtedly deserves to be tried in ornamental gardens, or even in orchards. Its only requirement: long hot summers that allow for good fruit ripening and significantly improve its cold resistance.

Pseudocydonia sinensis is a small tree or large shrub of the Rosaceae family, with rather slow growth. It is the only species in the Pseudocydonia genus. It is native to the southeastern provinces of China, where it grows up to 1000 m (3280 ft) in altitude. Pseudocydonia can be distinguished from Cydonia, the quince tree in our orchards, by its shiny leaves that are finely toothed at the edges, as well as the absence of thorns, its solitary flowers instead of clusters, and its much larger and perfectly smooth, fuzz-free fruits. The hardiness of this plant will be better in a continental climate or in regions that experience long hot summers and a beautiful late season: the heat allows the branches to lignify well before winter arrives.

The Chinese Quince often forms several trunks supporting a bushy and spreading crown, but it can easily be trained into a single-trunk small tree through appropriate pruning. Over time, it is not uncommon for a single trunk to dominate the others. At maturity, it will reach an average height of 5 m (16 ft 5 in) with a spread of 3.5 m (11 ft 6 in). Its bark is highly decorative: it peels off in plates in June, with large pieces of reddish bark gradually detaching and falling to the ground. The bark, which is grey-brown in colour, reveals large orange areas, decorative throughout the year.

The leaves develop before the flowers; they are alternate, thick, oval-lanceolate in shape, 5 to 8 cm (2 to 3.1 in) long and 3 to 5 cm (1.2 to 2 in) wide, with finely toothed margins. They are a bright green colour and have a shiny upper surface. The autumn colours are fantastic, ranging from orange to red and purple, enhanced by the glossy appearance of the lamina. Completely deciduous in very cold climates, the leaves of this quince can persist through winter in sheltered locations or mild climates. They remain attached to the branches for a long time, sometimes until the new leaves appear in spring. The sight of yellow quinces mixed with flamboyant foliage is superb in October-November.

Flowering on Pseudocydonia sinensis occurs from April to May, lasting about 3 to 4 weeks. The flowers, highly nectar-rich and honey-producing, reach 3 to 5 cm (1.2 to 2 in) in diameter. They are composed of 5 concave petals forming a cup, with a shade of pink that varies depending on the individual. Each flower opens to reveal a heart of yellow stamens. The flowers are solitary and borne on the previous year's branches. They are self-fertile, and a single Pseudocydonia plant is enough to produce fruits. After the flowers, large oval fruits called Chinese quinces appear, initially green and becoming yellow and smooth when ripe. Each fruit measures up to 20 cm (7.9 in) long. They are edible after cooking. The fruits of this quince tree are particularly fragrant, and their flesh is highly aromatic. They are harvested from October to December depending on the region and can be consumed in the same way as the quinces we are familiar with: in compotes, jellies, fruit pastes, or even in tagines.

The Chinese Quince is a plant of great ornamental value and quite tolerant, but it thrives particularly well in a variety of contrasting climates. While it loves heat and sun, this shrub can adapt to all types of soil (acidic, calcareous, clayey, heavy, humiferous, loamy) that do not retain excessive water. Once well established in deep soil, it can even tolerate summer drought. It can be planted in ornamental gardens or orchards. Choose a prominent location for it, so you can admire its charms that impress throughout the year. Pseudocydonia sinensis can, for example, be combined in a large hedgerow with Tetradium danielii (the bee tree), Parrotia persica, small maples (monspessulanum, griseum, truncatum, palmatum dissectum), botanical roses (Rosa hugonis, moyesii, complicata, etc.), deciduous euonymus, Paul's Scarlet hawthorn, and many others. Placing a single fruit in a bowl will pleasantly perfume your living room or dining room! It can also be grown as a bonsai.

Uses and properties:

Chinese quinces are traditionally used in Chinese and Japanese medicine in the form of syrup and drinks to treat sore throats. Koreans also attribute medicinal properties to them and use them to treat tuberculosis and asthma.

In cooking: to make jellies, add pectin because the naturally occurring pectin in the seeds is not sufficient to gel the preparation.