Quince
Quince, a small flowering tree or shrub cultivated for its fruit and flowers. The common quince is a deciduous tree with a crooked trunk. It grows to a height of 20 feet (6 m) and has white or pale pink flowers with five petals. The pear-shaped, golden fruit is too acidic to eat raw; however, when cooked, it is used to make marmalade, jelly, and preserves.
The Japanese, or flowering, quince is a shrub found in Japan and China. It is 6 to 10 feet (1.8 to 3 m) high and bears pear-shaped fruit. It is grown for its red, white, or pink flowers. The lesser flowering quince, a dwarf shrub native to Japan, is grown for its salmon to orange flowers. It is 3 to 4 feet (0.9 to 1.2 m) high and bears small, apple-shaped fruit.
The quince is native to Japan, China, and the Mediterranean, where it still grows wild. It has been cultivated for more than 4,000 years.
The common quince is Cydonia oblonga. The Japanese quince is Chaenomeles speciosa; the lesser flowering, Chaenomeles japonica. Quinces belong to the rose family, Rosaceae.