A relic of ancient orchards and fairytale gardens, the Quince is a fruit tree steeped in myth and perfume. Long before apples were symbols of love, the golden quince filled that role, offered to Aphrodite, celebrated in Persian poetry, and cherished throughout the Old World for its fragrance and flavor.
 
In spring, it unfurls soft, downy leaves and pale pink blossoms that rival apple and pear blooms in beauty. By autumn, those blooms ripen into weighty, golden fruit that gleams like polished amber and perfumes the air with notes of citrus, rose, and honey. Though too tart for some, to eat raw, quinces transform when cooked, into jewel-toned preserves, poached desserts, or the centuries-old membrillo paste served with cheese.
 
Botanical name: Cydonia oblonga
Type: Deciduous fruit tree
Height: 10–15 ft (smaller under pruning)
Zones: 4–9 (zones 4, with heavy mulching)
Sun: Full sun
Germination: Seeds require 90 days of cold to break dormancy. Seeds can be sown in fall for a spring emergence or folded into a moist paper towel and then sealed in a ziploc bag and placed in your refrigerator for 90 days, then sow in spring. Natural stratification is preferred. Artificial cold stratification may be required for zone 9. Plants may struggle if your climate has particularly hot summers in zone 9.
Soil: Moist but well-drained loam
Bloom time: Spring
Harvest: Late fall, once fruit turns fully yellow and aromatic
 
Old-world flavor meets modern heirloom gardening, plant one and you’ll be tending a lineage as sweetly fragrant as history itself.
 
This is for 10 seeds