The quince is the only species of the genus Cydonia, it belongs to the large family of Rosaceae and is classified among fruit trees as pome (like the apple and pear). It is an ancient fruit tree, with over 2000 years of history and uses. It seems to be native to Crete. Its scientific name, Cydonia oblonga, could derive from the ancient name of the Greek island. For the Greeks it was a fruit sacred to Aphrodite and in Roman times it was well known, as demonstrated by the various citations in the works of Cato, Pliny and Virgil.
Its crown tends to be regular and harmonious. It has small green leaves, covered with a light down, which fall in winter. The quince tree blooms in late spring or early summer.
the fruit looks very much like an irregularly shaped apple. When unripe it is covered with a whitish down, which it loses during ripening, revealing a beautiful golden yellow skin. In Salento cuisine it is widely used for the preparation of delicious jams and tasty jellies, the so-called "cotognate".
Leave a comment