Chinese quince

[craigw60]

Before I start this ramble I am ashamed to confess that I don't have a credible specimen of this species in my collection. I have been growing them for years though and use them a lot in my landscaping work, as well as selling a few in the nursery.


The japanese grow many beautiful deciduous tree species. Some of them seem to appear only rarely such as magnolia kobus or cornus kousa. Others are often seen such as Fagus crenata,stewartia monadelpha and pseudocydonia sinensis (chinese quince). The former two can only be grown in the coolest parts of Australia and should be much used by Tasmanian growers. The chinese quince (c q ) however would flourish in many parts of the country.
C Q is an often seen species in Japanese collections and its easy to see why. This is a tree with many attributes, in spring it flowers in a very subtle way, soft pink. The foliage is a lovely rich green and colours well in autumn in red-orange tones. The fruit which is large hangs on its branches well into winter and the trees exhibited at Kokufu are often seen carrying fruit.But the main attribute of this species is the bark which with age takes on the mottled tones often associated with smooth barked gums or crepe myrtles.
C Q are slow growing trees and take a long time for the trunk to reach the caliper required to display their superb bark. I have some here that have been in the ground for 4 years and I reckon it will be at least another 5 years before I can pot them and begin working on the branches. This is a deciduous species which gives the powerful feel you would expect to find in conifers. They are generally grown as large trees around the 85cm mark. I have sometimes seen them as shohin but very much at the large end of the spectrum.
C Q seem to lose their leaves and then form buds almost straight away so root pruning must be done much earlier than with other deciduous species. The branch ramification is very very slow to develop and is much more course than many other Japanese trees. They will with time develop a very powerful root spread.
A tree grown in the ground will take a few years to fruit heavily but once they do most of the seed is very viable. I have always had great success raising these trees from seed. I have never grown them from cuttings as the seed is so easy but I am sure it is possible.
For the younger growers out there I reckon this is a species worth trying and should be seen much more often in Australian collections. A quick flick through any of the Kokufu albums will show you many incredible examples of these trees. One afterthought large cuts on these trees heal easily which is great because you need them to develop the size required by this species.
Craig

[astroboy76]

i have a wonderful chinese quince specimen. large thick twisted trunk and awesome exposed roots. i gave it a chop and am now training a new leader for taper. as well as starting to establish the start of the trees branch structure. i have attached a pic of the quince before i did the chop and started working on it. it is easily 3 or 4 inches wide at its base.

qzkopi.jpg

here it is just after the chop
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[anttal63]

thanks for that info craig, good to know. Astro that is kickn real good, well done mate!

[astroboy76]

thanks anttal. you were one of the ones who gave me advice on doing the chop....glad u liek hwo its turning out

[craigw60]

Yep Astro you have beauty, It would have taken many years growing to get a trunk caliper like that. Treasure it.
Craig

[astroboy76]

i purchased it for $90 i think from ray nesci's nursery in dural, NSW. last time i was there he had two others, not as big but still quite large

[craigw60]

Hi Astro,
I have been working in the nursery and thinking about your quince, If I were you I would get a wire on that new leader asap as these trees set like steel as you have know doubt discovered.
Craig

[anttal63]

good advice for sure.

[astroboy76]

it is actually already too hardened to bend. i originally wired it to grow straight up. my main purpose is to keep letting it grown until the new leader blends more where the chop is. once the taper is more smooth i will chop it again and grow a new leader which i will use to add more movement into the top half of the tree. not sure if this is the best approach so feel free to comment

[craigw60]

Hi Astro,
I don't think you have much choice and the tree will be improved for it. Just remember to put wire on before the branches harden or you will never move them. Good luck.
Craig

[Asus101]

Quince from cuttings are simple enough.
Kimura like quince and I think still has them in his grow fields. he did an article on them for Bonsai today.