Species / Family: Belongs to the pome fruit family (Pyrinae) in the rose family (Rosaceae).
Maintenance effort: low. Easy-care
Flowering period: May to June with bright purple-colored cup flowers
Harvest time: Harvest depending on the variety from the end of September until well into October. Self-pollinating, but higher yields when another strain is nearby. Usually first harvest only after 4-8 years of standing, then reliable yield (see also fruits below)
Foliage: Egg-shaped, leaves slightly pointed towards the front in dark green
Growth: need approx. 2.5mx2.5m space
Ingredients: tannins, potassium, sodium, pectins, lots of vitamin C (see also ingredients below)
Height: 4 to 6m
Location: Sunny and sheltered but airy. Normal garden soil is neither too acidic nor too calcareous. Does not tolerate wet, moist soil
Planting time: possible in rough areas in spring, in mild areas also in autumn
Cut: removing drought and dead branches and occasionally thinning is sufficient
Propagation: By cutting, but rarely succeeds
Care: water in persistent dryness. Fertilize in spring
Winter storage: Cannot tolerate prolonged frosts without winter protection, otherwise hardy
Diseases:
Leaf tan: Brown spots on the leaves that slowly spread and cover the entire leaf. Leaves do not fall off. Safe for the tree
Fire blight: leaves and fruits suddenly wilt. Notifiable. Cutting away the affected shoots at least 50cm deep into the healthy branches may help, otherwise you have to separate from the tree, because there is no antidote yet. Often occurs due to waterlogging
Particularities:
Quinces can look similar to apples or pears and are also structured in such a way that they are divided into apple quinces and pear quinces
Often used as a fruit tree base, especially for pear trees
Hail from the Middle East and the Balkans
Varieties (selection)
`Bereczki: pear-shaped, large fruits weighing 150-1000g and having a good aroma. Can be stored well and has little browning of meat
`Cydopom: Apple-shaped, non-ribbed, golden-yellow fruits with a pleasant fragrance. High and early yield.
`Cydora Robusta 1: Pear-shaped, 250-600g heavy, bright golden yellow fruits with a pleasant fragrance. A new variety that has not yet proven itself in the garden and is less prone to fire blight
`Constantinople: Mainly spherical fruits with relatively soft flesh and a weight of 230-400g. Elongated pear-shaped fruits can also be formed.
`Lescovacz: Apple-shaped, ribbed fruits with relatively soft flesh, weighing 150-400g and a very good aroma
`Portugieser: Forms both pear and apple-shaped fruits with relatively soft pulp and weighing 400-800g
`Radonia: Ribbed, broad-bellied fruits with relatively soft pulp of 340-800g
`Vranja: Fruits with a weight of 250-700g and a very good fragrance. Very juicy, therefore ideally suited for making juice. Relatively soft pulp
`Wudonia: Flattened, juicy, furry fruits of 150-400g with a good aroma and relatively soft pulp. Fluff can stay on during processing because it is not bitter. High regular yield, stronger fruits in poor locations
fruit
Depending on the variety, the fruits are ripe for harvest from the end of September to the end of October, recognizable by their all-round yellow skin. When fully ripe, the fruits can be twisted off easily and have a brown core. The harvest should be completed before the first night frosts, with warm days and cool nights intensifying the color and also the aroma.
Furry quinces should be freed of their fluff before use, as this contains bitter substances that can make the whole food inedible (with the exception of `wudonia ').
Most of them do not eat the core and often also the shell, although this alleged waste contains a great deal of it Flavors and are therefore ideal for making liqueur, wine or tea or for quince jelly (see recipe below) suitable. The kernels can also be used well (see quince as medicine below).
Some varieties of unknown origin have a very firm pulp, which can reduce pure enjoyment, as it is difficult to bite off. They can be cooked softly in a pressure cooker or cut into strips with a bread machine. Over 200 varieties are registered worldwide. The varieties mentioned above have a relatively soft pulp for quinces.
If the plants are grafted, they usually bear fruit from the second year onwards, and you can only hope for a full harvest after 4-8 years
ingredients
It is a shame that hardly anyone knows or grows quinces because they contain more important minerals such as B. 50% more potassium than apples or pears. There are also significantly more pectins in the fruits, which can prevent diseases and support the intestinal flora by rendering harmful substances harmless.
use
kitchen
Quinces should be processed immediately after harvest, as fruit rot sets in quickly when stored, but there are also varieties that can be stored.
Fully ripe quinces are sour and sweet and taste great when freshly picked as a small meal in between. Fruits that are not fully ripe are inedible due to the bitter substances
Compote: Peel and cut the quinces. The core housing is completely removed. 375g of sugar are mixed in 1l of water, the pieces of fruit are added and everything is briefly boiled. Then the mixture is poured into mason jars, where the contents boil for 20 minutes at 90 degrees Celsius
Quittengelee:
Unused pods, kernels without kernels or even blotchy pieces of fruit are covered with water and with a lot of sugar boiled again and again until the brew has taken on a strong color, which usually takes two days can. The brew is simply filled into bottles or boiled to jelly with preserving sugar in the prescribed ratio 2: 1 (2 = brew, 1 = preserving sugar).
Tea: Both the peel and the pulp can be cut into pieces and put into fruit or black teas. They are also a pleasure to drink by simply pouring water over them and letting them infuse a little.
Stuffed quinces:
They are easy to fill with sweet or savory delicacies and can be baked in the oven or just gratinated. Depending on the filling, they can be used as an unusual accompaniment to a main course or as a delicious dessert. Fruits cooked in a pressure cooker can also be halved, hollowed out and filled with ice, for example.
Quince ice cream:
Quince pieces (approx. 350g) cook with your own juice until firm to the bite, puree and add approx. Carefully mix 300ml of whipped cream and a tablespoon of powdered sugar and freeze.
Quince cream: quince pieces approx. Boil for 30 minutes and strain the juice. Season to taste with a little white wine, sugar and lemon juice. Pre-swell gelatin and dissolve it in the mixture, then stir everything through a sieve. For about. Place in the refrigerator for 40 minutes and then fold in the whipped cream
Quince as medicine
Not even the kernels are waste, even these can be put to excellent use. They are dried and last a long time. For colds, they are used to make a healing phlegm in cold or hot water