Fruit Tree
Pineapple Quince
Cydonia oblonga 'Pineapple' · Rosaceae
Also called: Quince, Common Quince
Pineapple Quince (Cydonia oblonga 'Pineapple') is a moderate-water fruit tree well suited to Tucson and the low desert. It thrives in full sun, with a slow to moderate growth rate. Expect pale pink to white blooms spring.
Pineapple Quince at a glance
- Water use
- Moderate (established)
- Sun
- Full sun (6+ hours); benefits from afternoon shade in the hottest low-desert exposures.
- Mature size
- 10-15 ft tall and wide; often grown as a large multi-trunked shrub or small tree.
- Growth rate
- Slow to moderate
- Bloom
- Pale pink to white, Spring (March-April); self-fruitful. Fruit ripens late September-October in Tucson, turning golden-yellow and aromatic.
- Cold hardiness
- Low chill (~100-300 hours), well suited to USDA 9a-9b; hardy to about 10-15°F, fully frost-tolerant in Tucson when dormant.
- Soil
- Tolerates a wide range including heavy clay, but prefers deep, well-drained loam; handles the alkaline pH of Tucson soils though may show iron chlorosis in very alkaline conditions.
- Native range
- Species native to the Caucasus, Iran, and southwestern Asia; 'Pineapple' is a Luther Burbank cultivar selection.
- Best used as
- Edible fruit (cooked - jelly, preserves, paste/membrillo, baking), Ornamental spring bloom, Small specimen/orchard tree
- Wildlife
- Spring blossoms attract bees and other pollinators.
- Toxicity
- Fruit flesh is non-toxic and edible when cooked (raw fruit is hard, astringent, and unpalatable). Seeds, like other Rosaceae, contain cyanogenic compounds and should not be eaten in quantity; keep seeds away from pets and children.
How to grow Pineapple Quince in Tucson & the low desert
Watering
Deep, infrequent irrigation: roughly weekly in summer to a depth of 2-3 ft, tapering in winter. Avoid drought stress during fruit set; quince has shallow roots and dislikes both bone-dry and waterlogged soil.
Fertilizer & nutrients
Light feeder. Apply a balanced fruit-tree fertilizer (or split nitrogen application) in late winter before bud break and again after fruit set; over-fertilizing with nitrogen promotes soft growth prone to fire blight. Iron/zinc chelate may be needed on alkaline desert soils showing leaf chlorosis.
Pruning & care
Prune lightly while dormant (winter) to remove crossing/dead wood and open the center; fruit forms on spurs and tips of previous season's growth, so avoid heavy heading cuts. Remove suckers and watch for fire-blight strikes (prune out 12 in. below blighted tissue, sanitizing tools).
Notes
'Pineapple' is the classic low-chill quince for warm climates with a flavor reminiscent of pineapple when cooked; nearly always used cooked rather than fresh. One of the easier low-desert pome fruits but susceptible to fire blight in our climate - avoid overhead watering and excess nitrogen. Plant bare-root in January-February.
Sources: University of Arizona Cooperative Extension - Deciduous Fruit and Nuts for the Low Desert (az1269 / extension.arizona.edu); Pima County Master Gardeners; Dave Wilson Nursery low-chill variety data