Does anyone know what this is? Growing as a large group of stems. Does not seem to have stems on the fruit - stuck right to branches. Growing in southern Ontario.
Looks to me like pawpaw (Asimina triloba), which has the largest edible fruit of any native tree in Canada and the USA.
Thanks Daniel, l have only heard about pawpaw and have never seen one before. This one is growing in someone backyard. Do you know if the fruit softens up? these are quite hard and have been since this photo was taken 3 to 4 weeks ago.
It'd be nice to have confirmation of ID from someone more familiar with the plant - I've only ever seen it in flower. I don't know much about how the fruit develops and ripens, though I'd imagine it'd be similar to other fleshy fruits and soften over time.
If you click to enlarge you can see from the branching and foliage of the shrub, closeness of the fruit to the stem and its dotted, blushed skin that this is a flowering quince (Chaenomeles species). Asimina triloba produces large leaves suggesting those of certain deciduous magnolia species but with different venation, and that are also arranged differently on the tree. Also the somewhat sausage-shaped fruits hang on stalks that hold them well away from the main stem.
Looks like it may be a thornless Japaneese quince from the online images. Thanks so much for your help.
