Quince Propagation

Quince propagated by seed will not be identical to parent type.

Quince (Cydonia oblonga or Chaenomeles speciosa) is a deciduous flowering and fruiting tree related to the apple and pear. Though it produces viable seeds for propagation, there are several other methods for producing quince trees.

Types

Quince is propagated by hardwood or softwood cuttings, or by seed planting. Grafting onto other rootstock such as pear is not reliable.

Methods

Softwood cuttings are taken from the last 12 inches of a leafed branch during fall and are rooted indoors over winter for spring planting. Hardwood cuttings come from the last 24 inches of a branch, but the softwood (the top 12 inches or so) is removed. These cuttings are also rooted indoors over winter. Seeds are either chilled overwinter or planted in the ground in fall for natural chilling to occur, and then they germinate in spring.

Benefits

Hardwood and softwood propagation ensure that the next generation of quince are genetically identical to the parent plant. They also tend to mature and thus produce fruit sooner than seed-grown quince. However, this type of propagation may be difficult for novices, and is subject to rooting failure due to dry soils or fungal infection. Seeding outdoors is generally regarded as a simpler method.

References

• Ohio State University: Less Commonly Grown Fruits
• Harvard University: Cydonia oblonga: The Unappreciated Quince