Cydonia oblonga quince

Cydonia oblonga branchlet, leaves arranged to show both sides. John Rawlings, ca. 2005

The unexpectedly downy, pale yellow fruits, shaped like apples or pears but with fiercely puckered ends, often elicit surprise when encountered. They can be stewed or prepared much like apples; some varieties are pineapple-flavored, while others are highly fragrant. The oval leaves are distinctly downy beneath, especially when young. Showy white or pink-tinged spring flowers and attractive flaky bark make quince a choice small fruit tree and ornamental. (See also Chaenomeles for the flowering quince.)

Two recent trees can be seen near the entrance to the Panama District Work Center. An older specimen stands opposite 613 Salvatierra Street. Bushy clumps once grew on the north side of the Cantor Center (as shown on the 2003 Cantor Center Area Map) and just west of The Knoll. A shrubby quince beside the sidewalk on the Harvard Street side of 1220 College Ave, Palo Alto, bears fruits that will bonk your head if you are not paying attention.

The Romans knew the fruit as mala Cydonia (Cydonian apples), after the ancient Cretan city of Cydonia, now Chania. The Portuguese word for quince is marmelo, from which marmelada – a quince preserve – and ultimately the English word marmalade derive. (By the 18th century, however, marmalade had come to denote a preserve made chiefly from citrus fruits, especially Seville oranges.) Quince cheese – a firm, sliceable quince paste – is a popular confection in several countries; in Spain it is called dulce de membrillo and often accompanies Manchego cheese. Tropical guavas yield a similar confection known as guava cheese.

Illustrations: gallery