Cydonia oblonga
One of the most beautiful and underrated fruit trees in the British garden. Quince produces large, golden, intensely aromatic fruits in October and November — inedible raw but transformed into outstanding jelly, membrillo, and cheese by brief cooking. The tree itself is ornamental year-round: large white-pink flowers in May, architectural golden fruit in autumn, and excellent winter structure.
The rootstock controls the ultimate size of the tree. Choose it first — before the variety. All sizes below are approximate and depend on soil and management.
| Rootstock | Size | Height | Spacing | Suitable for | Support & notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quince A | Semi-vigorous | 3–5m | 4–5m | Multi-stem · Half-standard · Most gardens | Stake for 3–5 years — The standard rootstock for quince trees. Well-suited to most UK gardens and soils. |
| Own roots (some varieties) | Variable | Variable | Variable | Larger gardens | Stake initially — Some quince varieties are grown on their own roots — vigorous but long-lived. Less commonly available. |
The number of varieties shown for each crop is based on UK consumption data (2025/26) — the more popular the crop, the more variety choices we include.
The most vigorous and heaviest-cropping quince — producing very large, pear-shaped, golden fruit with outstanding aromatic flavour. The standard benchmark variety for UK gardens. Very productive once established. Not the most compact tree — allow adequate space.
The earliest-ripening quince — ready from late September. Very large, tomato-shaped (round) fruit rather than pear-shaped. Strong aromatic flavour. Less blight-resistant than Vranja but valued for the early harvest window and impressive fruit size.
The most reliably heavy-cropping quince available. Pear-shaped, golden fruit with classic quince aromatic flavour. Very good blight resistance. The best choice where maximum yield is the priority.
A compact-habited quince suitable for smaller gardens — reaches 3m rather than the 5m+ of Vranja. Golden, round-pear shaped fruit with pleasantly aromatic flavour and good preserving quality. A practical choice for gardens where space limits a full-sized quince.
A Balkan-origin variety producing very large, high-quality fruit with outstanding aromatic intensity — particularly good for membrillo and quince paste. Less widely available than Vranja but sought out by preservers for the quality of its fruit.
A newer French variety with very good disease resistance and reliable heavy crops. Round-shaped fruit with good flavour. More disease-resistant than older varieties, making it a better choice for areas with persistent quince leaf blight problems.
A more compact form occasionally available from specialist nurseries. Suits smaller gardens and even very large containers. Same outstanding cropping characteristic as the standard form but in a more manageable size.
An American-origin variety with slightly milder, sweeter flavour than European varieties — it can even be eaten raw when fully ripe in warm years. Large, round-pear shaped fruit. Less commonly available in the UK but worth seeking for growers wanting a milder-flavoured quince.
A Central Asian variety with exceptionally intense, complex aromatic flavour — the most perfumed of all quince varieties. Particularly valued for jelly and membrillo where the aromatic intensity is the defining quality. Less productive than Vranja but unmatched for fragrance.
Quince trees are sold as container-grown or bare-root (Nov–Mar) stock by specialist fruit nurseries and some larger garden centres. Vranja, the most widely available variety, can be found relatively easily; less common types such as Meech's Prolific, Serbian Gold or Isfahan are best ordered from specialist online fruit nurseries. As a single self-fertile tree crops well alone, only one is needed.
Quince flowers in May, later than apples and pears, which means it largely avoids the late frosts that catch earlier-flowering tree fruit — a warm, sheltered position still gives the best results. Quince also tolerates heavier, wetter soil than most tree fruit, so the planting hole needs less special drainage preparation than, say, an olive or apricot; dig a hole twice the root spread and work in well-rotted compost regardless. Stake at planting with the graft union sitting 10-15cm above soil level, and keep formative pruning minimal for the first three to four winters — just removing crossing and inward-growing branches to build an open, balanced shape. Crucially, quince fruit must be left on the tree until fully golden and aromatic, usually well into October — picked early, it never develops its characteristic flavour.
Quince flowers in May — later than apples and pears — and avoids most late frosts. It produces best in warm, sheltered positions but tolerates more exposure than most tree fruits. It is one of the few trees that succeeds in slightly boggy, moisture-retentive ground.
Dig a hole twice the root spread, incorporating well-rotted compost. Quince tolerates heavier, wetter soil than apples or pears and responds well to organic matter in the planting hole.
Plant at the same depth as the nursery mark, with the graft union 10–15cm above soil. Firm well, stake for the first 3–5 years, and water in with 15 litres. Mulch in a wide circle.
In the first 3–4 winters, remove crossing and inward-growing branches to develop an open, balanced framework. After this, quince requires very little annual pruning beyond removal of dead or diseased wood.
Quinces must stay on the tree until fully ripe — golden-yellow all over and very aromatic, usually October to November. Picking too early produces hard, flavourless fruit that does not set well in preserves.
Onion-family plants grown nearby are thought to help deter pests with their strong scent.
Attracts pollinators and adds a decorative, low-maintenance border nearby.
Attracts pollinators and beneficial insects, and is said to improve nearby fruit set.
All quince varieties are self-fertile — a single tree crops very well without a partner. Choose the variety primarily for fruit shape and yield.
Plant in dormancy, stake for first few years, mulch generously. Formative pruning is minimal compared to apples and pears.
| Region | Sow / plant | Harvest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scotland & Far North | Nov–Mar | Oct–Nov | |
| Northern England | Nov–Mar | Oct–Nov | |
| Midlands & Wales | Nov–Mar | Oct–Nov | |
| Ireland & Isle of Man | Nov–Mar | Oct–Nov | |
| South & SE England | Nov–Mar | Oct–Nov | |
| South Coast & SW | Nov–Mar | Oct–Nov |
Quinces are propagated by specialist nurseries from cuttings or grafting. Purchase from fruit nurseries. A single self-fertile tree is all that is needed.
Not Applicable — Purchase bare-root or container-grown trees from specialist nurseries.
Vranja for large pear-shaped fruit. Meech's Prolific for heaviest crops. Portugal for earliest ripening. Serbian Gold for compact habit.
Quince is one of the easiest tree fruits to manage — it requires very little annual pruning. In the first 3–4 winters after planting, remove only the most clearly crossing, rubbing, or inward-growing branches to develop an open-centred framework. After the framework is established, annual pruning is mainly limited to removing dead, damaged, or diseased wood and any shoots that are clearly congesting the centre. Unlike apples and pears, there is no complex spur system to manage. Unlike cherries and plums, winter pruning is safe. Quince is genuinely low-maintenance.
Leave quinces on the tree until fully golden — October to November. Even after leaves have fallen, the fruit should remain until fully ripe: the colour changes from pale green-yellow to deep golden, the skin becomes smooth, and the fruit is intensely aromatic. Pick by lifting and twisting gently. Handle carefully — quinces bruise easily and bruised areas deteriorate rapidly in store. Harvest in dry conditions and handle each fruit individually.
Store quinces in a cool, dark, frost-free place — a garage, shed, or cool pantry is ideal. Wrap individually in newspaper or place on slatted shelves with fruit not touching. Keep them completely separate from other stored fruit — the intense, wonderful quince perfume permeates apples, pears, and anything else stored nearby. Most varieties keep for 4–8 weeks in cool storage. Check weekly and process any that begin to soften promptly.
Quince leaf blight (Entomosporium maculatum) is the main disease affecting quince — it causes brown spots with red margins on leaves, eventually causing early leaf drop in wet summers. Repeated severe infections reduce tree vigour. Remove and destroy all affected leaves promptly — do not compost. Rake and remove all fallen leaves in autumn. Improve airflow around the tree with light pruning. Avoid overhead watering. Most quinces tolerate occasional blight without serious long-term damage.
Quince leaf blight causes brown spots on leaves and early leaf fall in wet summers — collect and destroy all fallen leaves. Fireblight (shoots die back as if scorched, with a characteristic curved shepherd's crook) can affect quince — remove infected shoots 60cm below the infection in summer, sterilising tools between cuts, and never compost infected material. Codling moth affects quince as well as apples — use pheromone traps from May.
Full identification and treatment advice is in the Pests and Diseases sections.
Quince jelly is one of the most beautiful and versatile of all fruit preserves — a clear, deep amber-rose jelly with a perfumed, complex flavour unlike anything commercial. It is outstanding with cheese, cold meats, and pâté. Follow a tested recipe.
Membrillo is a firm, sliceable quince paste — the traditional Spanish accompaniment to Manchego cheese and a luxury product that sells for high prices. This is the finest use of homegrown quinces. Follow a tested recipe.
Quince cheese is a thick, firm preserve similar to membrillo but British in tradition. Quince compote — fruit cooked briefly with sugar and spices — provides an excellent sauce for game, pork, and duck. The unusual combination of sweetness and astringency makes quince one of the most interesting fruits for savoury cooking. Follow a tested recipe.
Quince succeeds in conditions that would fail most other tree fruits: heavy clay, moisture-retentive ground, slightly boggy areas, moderate shade, and exposed aspects. If you have a difficult spot in the garden where other fruit trees have struggled, quince is worth trying.
Quince earns its place in the kitchen garden on ornamental grounds alone. Large, white-flushed-pink flowers in May are among the most beautiful of any fruiting tree. The large, golden, woolly-skinned fruit in October is architecturally striking. The winter structure of the gnarled, multi-stemmed tree has character. Few fruiting plants are this decorative.
Even one or two quinces added to an apple jelly batch transform it completely — the quince perfume infuses the entire batch with aromatic complexity that apple alone cannot produce. A single quince added to a pan of cooking apples makes a dramatically superior result.