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Chinese Quince

Pseudocydonia sinensis (soo-doh-sigh-DOH-nee-uh sih-NEN-sis)

Family: Rosaceae Non-native Understory (15-40 ft)

Chinese quince is a medium size, flowering, deciduous tree or shrub in the rose family and is native to China. At maturity, it will typically reach 20 feet with a 15 foot spread. The plant leafs out early and displays pink blossoms in early spring. The bark of the tree flakes off to reveal a patchwork of gray, green, orange, brown. The genus name comes from pseudo meaning false and cydonia the genus name of common quince. The species name is from the Latin, sinensis meaning Chinese. Chinese quince is easy to grow in average, moist, well-drained soil in full sun. The plant will tolerate poor soils and some drought, but prefers fertile, well-drained loams with even moisture. When grown at the northern end of its range, it is best to site it in a location protected from winter winds and temperatures. Chinese quince will cast light shade and is easy to transplant. It is a long-lived tree and tolerates pruning. Keep in mind that flowering occurs on old growth with pruning. Use as a flowering tree or specimen. Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: Fireblight can be a problem.

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 57 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 2 - Understory (15-40 ft)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Tree
Life cycle
Woody
USDA zones
6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Mature size
Height: 10 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in. | Width: 5 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
2 - Understory (15-40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Dense; Erect; Oval; Rounded
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Gold/Yellow
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Ovate
Leaf margin
Serrate
Leaf value
Fragrant
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 3-6 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Green 2 1/2 to 4 1/2 inch alternate, simple leaves turn yellow to red in the fall. Elliptic to ovate, shiny, with finely serrated margins.
Fall color
Gold/Yellow; Red/Burgundy
Flower color
Pink; White
Flower value
Fragrant; Showy
Flower shape
Cup
Flower size
> 6 inches
Flower detail
This plant has soft pink flowers with a white base in April and May that are very fragrant, 5 to 7 inches, and cup shaped.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Gold/Yellow
Fruit type
Pome
Fruit value
Edible; Fragrant
Fruit size
> 3 inches wide
Fruit detail
The fruit is fragrant, from 4-6 inches long with citron yellow fruit. The huge, oval fruits ripen in fall with a sweetly fragrant aroma.
Bark color
Dark Brown; Dark Gray; Green
Bark detail
Flaky, sycamore-like bark exfoliates into an attractive patchwork of gray, green and brown on the fluted mature trunks of this tree.
Stem detail
The stem has upright dense branching.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Central and Southern China
Distribution
California, Korea, Japan
Play value
Edible fruit; Fragrance
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Fruit
Harvest time
Fall
Fruit type
Pome

Edibility

Fruit is edible.

Uses (ethnobotany)

The most common use of the edible fruit is in jam.

Landscape Use
Landscape location
Recreational Play Area
Landscape theme
Children's Garden; Edible Garden
Design feature
Flowering Tree; Specimen
Garden tags
#deciduous #children's garden #edible fruits #fragrant flowers #full sun tolerant #red leaves #yellow leaves #pink flowers #fall color red #fall color yellow #playground plant #flowering tree
Problems & Resistance
Resistant to
Drought

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.