Plants

quince

Cydonia oblonga

Family: Rosaceae · Genus: Cydonia

Secondary I Medium No biomass production

Quince, a small deciduous fruit tree of the Rosaceae family, exotic to Brazil and suited to temperate-climate regions. It needs a cool period (temperatures below 7 °C) to flower properly and is grown in the south and in cool microclimates of the southeast. It flowers in late spring and fruits in autumn.

📚 Synonyms

Scientific synonyms: Cydonia vulgaris Pers., Pyrus cydonia L.

Götsch succession

Götsch stage: Secondary I
Ecological role: Early secondary
Primary stratum: Medium
Strata: Medium
Biomass class: No biomass production

Environment

Light requirement: Full sun
Water requirement: Moderate
Drought tolerance: Moderate
Waterlogging tolerance: Moderate
Soil pH range: 6–7.5
Preferred soil texture: Loamy, Clayey
Hardiness zones: 5–9
Frost tolerance: -22.0 °C

Morphology

Mature height: 4–6 m
Recommended spacing: 4–5 m
Root system: Lateral
Root depth: Medium
Growth rate: Slow
Lifespan: 30–75 years
Time to first harvest: 48 months
Productive lifespan: 30 years

Biomes & climate

Pampa Suitable
Atlantic Forest Suitable

Köppen classes

Where it fits in a guild

Quince takes the Medium stratum in the Secondary I phase of succession — in a guild it shares the line with species from the other strata, each harvesting light at its own height, in its own time.

Design my guild

Free account — and the catalog stays open, no sign-up needed.

🪴 Cultivation

Tolerates years without pruning and has few pest problems. Self-fertile but cross-pollination improves yield; propagated by cutting, layering or grafting. It fruits on current-season shoots and flowers late, escaping spring frosts.

✂️ Management & Pruning

Train to an open center or a low leader, building a well-spaced branch framework in the early years. Because it fruits at the tips of the current season's shoots, winter maintenance pruning (Jun–Aug) should be light — removing only dead wood, crossing branches and basal suckers; heavy pruning reduces fruiting. The species tolerates long spells with no pruning.

📅 Phenology

Flowering months: September, October

Fruiting months: March, April, May

❓ Frequently asked questions

How long until the first harvest of quince?

The first harvest of quince comes around 48 months after planting.

What spacing is recommended for quince?

The recommended spacing for quince is 4–5 m.

How tall does quince grow?

At maturity, quince reaches 4–6 m tall.

When does quince fruit?

Fruiting of quince occurs in March, April, May.

When does quince flower?

Flowering of quince occurs in September, October.

What stage and stratum does quince occupy in a syntropic system?

In a syntropic system, quince belongs to the secondary i stage, occupying the medium stratum.

Functions

🍎 Fruit 🐝 Attracts pollinators 🍯 Melliferous

Propagation

Cutting, Grafting, Air layering

Citations

Wikipedia (scientific_name, synonyms, height_min_m, height_max_m, propagation, wikidata_qid, gbif_taxon_key)
Plants For A Future (pruning_notes, cultivation_notes, ph_min, ph_max)
POWO (powo_id, scientific_name)