Herb: Dwarf Quince


Latin name: Chaenomeles x superba


Family: Rosaceae (Rose Family)



Edible parts of Dwarf Quince:

Fruit - very harsh and acid raw but fragrant when cooked. Used for jams, jellies etc and as a flavouring with cooked apples. The fruit can be apple or pear-shaped and up to 6cm long x 6cm wide.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Deciduous
Shrub

Height:
100 cm
(3 1/4 foot)

Flowering:
February
to June

Habitat of the herb:

Not known in the wild.

Other uses of Dwarf Quince:

Plants can be grown to make a medium sized hedge. Some cultivars, such as "Crimson and Gold" produce suckers prolifically and are suitable for ground cover.

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a sheltered position outdoors or in a cold frame. Sow stored seed in February in a greenhouse. Germination usually takes place within 6 weeks. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle. If well grown, these seedling can be large enough to plant out in the summer, but give them some protection in their first winter. Otherwise plant them out in late spring of the following year. This species is a hybrid and so will not breed true from seed. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame. Easy. Cuttings of mature wood of the current year's growth, November in a cold frame. Layering in late spring or in autumn. This is a sure and easy method, though it takes 12 months.

Cultivation of Dwarf Quince:

Not known in the wild.

Medicinal use of the herb:

None known

Known hazards of Chaenomeles x superba:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.