Info On Fruiting Quince

Q: I have become interested in growing fruiting quince and have several plants (‘Le Page’, ‘Aromatnaya’, ‘Cookes Jumbo’, ‘Van Deamon’). Do they fruit on current year’s growth or last years? I need to prune them a bit. They are delicious if properly prepared. 

A: I commonly see two different kinds of quince. “Flowering” quince, Chaenomeles speciosa, flowers in late February with red, white or pink blooms. Fruit is small and inconsequential. The blossoms come from buds originating on last year’s growth. These shrubs can be pruned after flowering is finished.

“Fruiting” quince, Cydonia oblonga, is a small tree that blooms on new wood. For best results, prune in winter to stimulate new growth in early spring which will then produce large quince fruit from which you can make your quince preserves.