Common Name:
Smyrna Quince
Description:
The Smyrna quince (Cydonia oblonga 'Smyrna') is a highly aromatic and flavorful variety, prized for its large, golden-yellow fruit with a smooth skin and firm, dense flesh. Originating from Turkey, this quince variety has a rich, floral fragrance and a sweet, slightly tangy taste when cooked. The fruit is inedible when raw due to its astringency but transforms into a soft, deep reddish-gold colour when slow-cooked, making it perfect for jams, jellies, preserves, and baking. The tree is a beautiful deciduous variety with an upright, spreading habit and produces stunning pale pink to white blossoms in spring, attracting bees and other pollinators. Smyrna quince thrives in full sun and well-drained soil and is a hardy, drought-tolerant tree once established. It is self-fertile but benefits from cross-pollination for increased yields.
Form:
- Tree - Small
- Tree - Medium
Mature Size:
- Height: 3–5m (can be pruned smaller)
- Width: 3–4m
Aspect:
- Full Sun
Flowering:
- Flowers in Spring
Flower Colour:
- Soft Pink to White
Key Attributes:
- Edible Fruit
- Self-Pollinating
- Suitable for Espalier
- Suitable for Pots (when grown as a dwarf variety)
- Bee Attracting
- Drought Tolerant (once established)
- Highly Aromatic Fruit
- Excellent for Cooking and Preserves
Toxicity:
- Seeds contain cyanogenic compounds and should not be consumed in large quantities
Companion Plants:
- Other fruit trees (Apples, Pears, Plums)
- Lavender (attracts pollinators)
- Borage (improves fruit set)
- Marigolds (helps deter pests)
- Comfrey (improves soil health)
