Hi @Mani - I'm not sure if you're asking seriously after I was so flippant. As I'm sure you know, there are (at least) 2 types of fruit referred to as 'Quince'. The Japanese Flowering Quince (Chaenomeles japonica) pictured in @AlainK's post #673 is sometimes made into jams and jellies but is not preferrable to Cydonia oblonga: "The quince is the sole member of the genus Cydonia in the family Rosaceae. It is a tree fruit that bears a deciduous pome fruit, similar in appearance to a pear . . . " Quince - Wikipedia I assume that Chaenomeles japonica earned the common name of 'Quince' because of the similar appearance of its fruit to Cydonia oblonga. Why Cydonia oblonga is called Quince, I cannot say. I've never tried making any preserves from Japanese Flowering Quince. Although it grew in many gardens where I lived on the Lower Mainland in the mid-20th century, I think many gardeners regarded it as unpalatable if not outright poisonous. How were they to know? More recently, I tried making jam from the 'real' Quince after tasting a delicious preserve made by a friend with quince and oranges. My own efforts were not at all successful and I will not bother trying again. There are lots of interesting-sounding recipes on the web if you are tempted to try but I cannot recommend any.
I was serious and i'm glad I asked now! I won't bother poisoning myself :D Thanks for the info - you're a life saver!
Yes, I've got one planted in the garden and one that needs repotting in a deeper container : PS : "Cotignac" is a local speciality, it's a kind of quince jelly - and very expensive ! Cotignac d'Orléans - Epicerie
Quince jelly is delicious, a bit like tart apple jelly. It's nice to cook with too. Japanese quince is lovely, but not at all tasty! Continuing near 15°, a bit showery today but was nice over the WE so managed to get a couple of things in the ground: a young Paulownia and the dwarfish paperbark maple, A. griseum 'Golden Lucky'. Oh and a Clerodendron bungii from a friend. The early daffs here got destroyed by the cold, but I feel sure the others will explode into flower this week, they look very close. I love how they spread, as do these crocuses (crocii?) which are very cheery now and near their peak.
Very nice bonsai, @AlainK! I've had one Japanese quince which has been in flower since January! Crocuses or croci, @emery!
I remembered a story that I heard very long time ago on the radio while driving, and managed to find the transcript. I really got a kick out of it. And I also love quince jam but have not had it since childhood. A Quest For The Perfect Quince Paste Yields A Great Sauce
Didn't know that Helleborus is another passion of yours R ? Hellebores do look good in a woodland setting.
It seems to me that the Cotignac d'Orléans mentioned by @AlainK (Post #680) and the Quince Paste mentioned by @Nik (Post #684), is the same product as we can buy here called Membrillo, aka Quince Paste or Quince Cheese. It is thicker than jelly and can served in many ways. There are many recipes for Quince Paste on the web but, as far as I can tell, most call for the larger Cydonia oblonga I wrote about in Post #678 rather than Chaenomeles japonica (Japanese Flowering Quince) specified by a Latvian man quoted in Nik's article. From what I've heard and read, the former is much tastier than the latter. It's also larger and easier to work with . . . and quince is not easy to work with in the first place! Membrillo (Sweet Quince Paste) PS Sorry to have inadvertantly brought up the topic of quince in the middle of 'What's the Weather Like'. If you want to move these posts @wendy, please do.
They live happily under the canopy of my trees in the jungle end of my garden..just adds some interest and colour during the twig season.
Hi @Margot , I think they were talking about a Japanese variety of Cydonia oblonga. After all, there are many cultivars of any fruit tree. I am accustomed to the one one grown in Southern Europe. I disagree with the statement that they can’t be eaten raw... if they are harvested and left to sit for a couple of months, they are palatable, just too much oxalates, your mouth dries out in split second. Very astringent.
Here's an orange dream i offered to my aunt about 7 years ago. She lives in Catalonia Spain, in the inside territory which is very hot and windless in summer. Each time I go visit her I am still amazed that she manage to keep it alive since so many years. The particularity of this maple is that he loose his leaves 2 times in the season and always make the comeback, she put it inside the apartment with air conditioning during the day in July. She sent me this picture today.
7 years ! Your aunt must have green thumbs ;-) Defoliating maples is a technique used by bonsai enthusiasts, but it's not recommended to do it every year, even less twice a year because it is said to weaken the tree. Once again, different places, different results...
July in Spanish heat is not what Orange Dream would enjoy. A very pampered tree. Your aunt has done remarkably well I.
Very pleased that you will pass on the comments I, you never know she might even join the forum?? The more the merrier. We have two very keen maple growers on the forum from Spain, @monicasanchez and J @zfrittz, how they keep their trees looking so good in those temperatures is amazing. But like your aunt they also show it can be done.
Yes I agree with that. I meant he lose his leaves in autumn and also in summer, but he self-defoliate himself because most of the leaves dry out, due to the fact that heat and lack of fresh air is too much for him. He is a survivor and looks like he found a way to adapt to the inapropriate climate they have there. My aunt can enjoy some sort of two springs each season lol. But she obviously do take care of it a lot or he wouldn't be still alive.
I really love Hellebores, and always wish I had more. They're just so fab. I think you've inspired me to try and do an understory area with them. There was a place at Vasterival where the understory was planted with a mixture of black and white Hellebores, quite spectacular. We used to have members from Texas here some (well probably many) years ago, where all of their JMs defoliated in July, grew back in September and held quite late. They became accustomed to having 2 dormancy periods, quite amazing I always thought! But your aunt's experience shows this may be more common than we think in really hot climates. More germination, pentaphyllum and pauciflorum. Styrax dasyanthus also starting to go.
That was interesting to read, thanks for telling me about the Texans's experience. Yeah it's quiet amazing, and show that nothing is impossible. I have thought many times to move to spain for living in Catalonia as I like that part of the country and have some family there but there's unfortunately no way I will do it because the climate is not good for Jm's. I would need to go more into the north as I can't live without my maples.
I think that could look spectacular..and you have the mature trees as the canvas..my collection is rather eclectic..I love the very dark purples with a sulking looking flower..I’m after a true black one