How to grow Quince in Australia
Quince is a hardy, long-lived fruit tree with large spring blossom and big, golden, wonderfully fragrant fruit in autumn. The fruit is too hard and astringent to eat raw, but cooks into rosy paste, jelly, jam and poached quinces. Quinces are self-fertile, cope with heavier soil than most fruit trees, and crop reliably anywhere with a cool winter.
📖 Our full guide: How to Grow Quince in Australia
At a glance
When to plant by region
| Region | When to plant | Regional note |
|---|---|---|
| South East Queensland | June to August | |
| Northern Rivers NSW | June to August | |
| Sydney & Coastal NSW | June to August | Reliable. Plant bare-root winter. Sydney conditions suit quince well. |
| Melbourne & Victoria | June to August | Melbourne is quince country. Plant bare-root in winter. Produces for 50+ years. |
| Adelaide & SA | June to August | Mediterranean heritage. Reliable in Adelaide. Plant bare-root winter. |
| Perth & WA | June to August | Mediterranean heritage. Reliable in Perth hills. Bare-root winter. |
| Tasmania | June to August | Plant bare-root Jun to Aug. Superb in Tasmania. Heavy, reliable, fragrant crops. |
| Canberra & ACT | June to August | Reliable. Plant bare-root in Canberra winter. |
| North Queensland | Not suited | Not viable. Needs cold winters. |
| Darwin & Top End | Not suited | Not viable. Needs cold winters. |
Where to plant
Plant quince in a warm, sunny, sheltered spot, as the spring flowers can be damaged by frost and sun is needed to ripen the fruit. Quinces tolerate a range of soils and cope with heavier, damper ground than most fruit trees, but grow best in deep, fertile, moisture-holding soil. They become broad trees, so leave room.
Quinces need a cool winter and are not suited to the tropics.
- Melbourne, Hobart, Adelaide and Canberra: excellent quince country, with heavy, reliable, fragrant crops. Trees produce for 50 years or more.
- Sydney and Perth: reliable; in Perth the Hills suit them best.
- South East Queensland and the Northern Rivers: can be grown, but humid summers bring leaf blight and fleck; choose an open, airy spot.
- North Queensland and Darwin: not suited; there is no cold winter.
Choosing a variety
| Variety | Notes |
|---|---|
| Smyrna | The classic quince for paste and jelly: large, golden, fragrant and reliable |
| Champion | Large, pear-shaped fruit that cooks to a lighter colour than Smyrna; a good all-rounder |
Varieties differ in their resistance to quince leaf blight, which matters in wet or humid areas. Quinces are also used as dwarfing rootstock for pears.
How to plant
- Plant bare-root trees in winter while dormant.
- On light or shallow soil, mix a bucket of compost or well-rotted manure into the soil you backfill with.
- Plant at the same depth as before, with the graft above the soil, and stake the young tree.
- Water in well and mulch, keeping the mulch clear of the trunk.
Watering and feeding
Water newly planted trees regularly in dry spells for the first couple of years. Established trees in moisture-holding soil seldom need watering, but water during long dry spells and on free-draining soil while the fruit is swelling, for clean, well-sized fruit.
Mulch with compost or well-rotted manure each spring. A regularly mulched tree needs little other feeding; if growth is poor, apply a balanced fertiliser in early spring.
Pruning and care through the year
- Shape young trees like apples, to an open goblet with a framework of well-spaced branches.
- Established trees need only light pruning in winter. Quinces fruit mainly on the tips of shoots grown the previous year, so do not shorten every shoot. Remove dead, diseased, crowded and wayward stems, and suckers from the base.
- Pick up fallen fruit and fallen leaves, which carry codling moth and leaf diseases.
- Net trees against birds as the fruit colours.
Harvesting
Quinces ripen in autumn. Leave them on the tree as long as possible to develop their aroma, and pick when they have turned from light yellow to deep golden and smell strongly perfumed. Cut or twist them gently from the branch and handle them carefully.
Store only undamaged fruit, not touching, in a single layer in trays in a cool, dark place. They keep for two to three months, and stored quinces mellow over several weeks.
Using it
Quinces are too hard and astringent to eat raw. Cooked slowly they turn pink to deep red and become sweet and aromatic: make quince paste (membrillo) to serve with cheese, jelly, jam, poached or baked quinces, and add them to pies and tarts. Quince paste keeps for a year or more.
Companion planting
A quince fits well in a mixed backyard orchard and needs little care.
Good companions
- Fruit trees It suits a mixed orchard and crops in autumn after the summer fruit; it is self-fertile, so it does not need a partner.
Pests and diseases
Quinces are robust and healthy. Leaf blight in wet summers and codling moth are the main problems.
Pests to watch for
- Codling moth Small entry holes in the fruit with dark frass tunnels to the core. Destroy infested and fallen fruit weekly and use cardboard trunk bands.
- Birds Pecked fruit as it colours. Net the tree.
Diseases to watch for
- Leaf blight Small red-brown to black spots on leaves and fruit, followed by early leaf fall, worst in wet or humid summers. Rake up and destroy fallen leaves and keep the canopy open.
Common questions
Can you eat quince raw?
Not usually. The fruit is hard and astringent raw, but slow cooking turns it sweet, aromatic and pink to red. Use it for paste, jelly, jam and poached quinces.
When are quinces ripe?
In autumn, when the skin has turned from light yellow to deep golden and the fruit is strongly fragrant. Leave them on the tree as long as possible for the best aroma.
Do I need two quince trees?
No. Quinces are self-fertile, so one tree gives a good crop.
Why do my quince leaves have brown spots?
Usually quince leaf blight, a fungal disease worst in wet, humid summers. It spots leaves and fruit and causes early leaf drop. Rake up fallen leaves, prune for airflow and choose resistant varieties in humid areas.
How do I store quinces?
Keep undamaged fruit in a single layer, not touching, in trays in a cool, dark place. They keep for two to three months.
When should I prune a quince tree?
Lightly in winter while it is dormant. Quinces fruit on the tips of last season's shoots, so avoid cutting back every branch.
Sources we checked: RHS: How to grow quinces; Agriculture Victoria: Codling moth; Local Food Connect (Robin Gale-Baker): Codling moth.