tree identification? (forum)

biff starts with ...
Can anyone identify this please? We have just moved into a house with an orchard and this tree/fruit is a mystery. It is fuzzy like a peach, but hard and green, with seeds in the centre like an apple. The tree has very few leaves on and there are a few windfalls, just like the one on the tree.

We recently moved to NZ from the UK so this maybe a common tree here and I am just an ignorant Pom ;-)

Thanks
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Picture: 1

Time: 9th April 2011 8:43pm

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About the Author biff
NZ
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VLR says...
I think it's a quince tree. I've only ever seen one growing. The fruit is usually cooked because they're quite sour and astringent.

Time: 9th April 2011 9:54pm

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About the Author VLR
Perth
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Jason says...
Yes it looks to be a Quince. If you take some of those fruit and make stewed Quince from it (just pretend it's apple) you will be on another planet of taste awesomeness. Surely they are more common in the UK than NZ ?

Time: 10th April 2011 12:06am

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About the Author Jason
Portland
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snottiegobble says...
Definately a quince! I also inherited one when I moved in Vic. It had been chewed regularly by calves, but with tender care I got it back to producing many fruit, some reaching nearly 1/2 kilo. We made delicious quince paste, but it was never pink & I dont know why!

Time: 10th April 2011 12:19am

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About the Author snottiegobble
Bunbury/Busso ( smack in the middle)
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pagnr says...
It's in the Quince group,but fruit looks small.If its apple size, and only a few on the tree, it might be a flowering "Japonica" quince.Usually the plant looks trunkless with like erect stems, with pretty flowers on the branch tips. Hard to tell from your photo.

Time: 10th April 2011 8:58am

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speedy says...
My bet is on it being Quince.

other simmilar species would be

Chinese Quince (Pseudocydonia sinensis), but it has a blotchy decorative bark, smaller,
smoother fruit and shinier lvs than Cydonia oblonga.

Chaenomeles cathayensis, but they look diferent as too.

Quinces can vary quite a bit.


Time: 10th April 2011 9:12am

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About the Author Speedy
Northern Vic.
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biff says...
Thanks. Having looked at a few pics of quinces I think that's what it is. Shame there aren't many left on the tree.

Sorry the photo isn't that good. The tree has very few leaves left and is covered in fluffy mossy stuff. The landlord says it's an old tree and may be on it's last legs.


Time: 13th April 2011 11:27am

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About the Author biff
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suzybell says...
There's a few quince types and I agree that this looks like Pseudocydonia chinense. I've just cooked up 5 kgs from a friend's very productive tree. Makes a beautiful jam, doesn't seem to go pink (but I'll keep experimenting) and I'm trying out a quince paste which of course is divine with cheese. Don't write the tree off just yet.... they are tough - and deciduous in cold climates.

Time: 13th June 2011 11:04am

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About the Author suzybell
katoomba
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Tom says...
It looks just like the quince trees in our front yard, and even the size of the fruit matches ours at this time of year (not quite ripe yet, still a little small, just losing their fuzz and turning green). If it is the same, it's Cydonia oblonga 'Orange' or 'Smyrna' which look and taste similar to me. 'Orange' always gets a little bigger by the time they're ripe. It's not 'Pineapple' Quince which has a pinched, puckered end. It also looks like you have a moss growing on the tree similar to the ball moss which attacks some of our trees; and it's quite destructive if it's anything like our version. We have to use a copper-based spray to kill it before it becomes overwhelming. I've heard that quince trees live about 30 or 40 years tops if that helps you determine if it's the moss or the years which are taking the toll.

Time: 13th June 2011 11:48am

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Original Post was last edited: 13th June 2011 11:52am

About the Author Tom
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