Portugal quince trees

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• Self-fertility: Self-fertile

Portugal is a well-known quince variety, capable of producing large fruits with a very good flavor when grown in the right conditions.

The fruit is ready for picking at the end of September, which is slightly earlier than most other quinces. However the fruits should be stored indoors (at room temperature) for a few weeks to ripen properly.

Portugal quinces may turn a crimson pink when cooked (depending on how ripe they were). They have a soft texture and mild flavor which makes them particularly suitable for making quince marmalade. They are generally considered the best flavored of all quinces.

Portugal quince trees for sale

Growing and Training

Although like all quinces Portugal is a fairly hardy tree, it needs a sheltered location to produce good quality ripe fruit. It prefers a dry climate and is not suitable for the wetter north-west of the UK - it is probably the most challenging quince variety to grow.

Whereas many quince trees have an attractive growth habit, Portugal is not the best choice for a feature tree - it is grown just for the fruit. It works well as a fan-trained tree or just simply allowed to grow up a south-facing brick wall.

Portugal is only partially self-fertile and cropping will be improved if there is a compatible pollinator nearby such as Meech's Prolific or Serbian Gold.

History

Unknown origins but introduced to England in the early 17th century.

Portugal characteristics

British-grown trees

Unlike many garden centres and online retailers, the vast majority of our fruit trees are grown in the UK. Find out more.

In addition, all our trees are certified under the Plant Healthy scheme, supervised by the Plant Health Alliance. Other stakeholders include Defra and the RHS. The scheme aims to improve UK biosecurity by setting standards for all growers and retailers involved in selling plants in the UK. Find out more

Guaranteed fruit trees

When you buy your fruit tree from Orange Pippin Fruit Trees we guarantee it for the first season in your garden whilst it gets established. If it doesn't grow successfully, we'll either replace it the following season or offer a refund - subject to some conditions. Find out more.

More about quince trees

Quince trees produce are versatile pear-like fruits used for culinary purposes - use them in the same way you would apples or pears. They are particularly good for preserves, and a small amount of stewed quince also gives an interesting lift to many apple-based recipes. The blossom and fruits are very attractive.

The quince originates from south-west Asia, but has been widely grown throughout Europe since classical times, and were introduced to England from France in the 13th century or earlier. The English word "quince" derives from the French word "cognassier". Quinces were also established in the American colonies, and many of today's quince varieties are American.

Quince trees prefer warm climates, as found in central Europe, and much of the USA. They can be grown successfully in most of the milder areas of England, but to get the best yields it really helps to plant them in a sheltered spot in full sun with a south-facing aspect.

Quince trees are usually grown as open-centred bush-style trees, a form which best suits the attractively contorted way in which they tend to grow. They can also be trained as fans (not espaliers) against south-facing walls or fences, and this is a good technique for getting the best cropping and flavour in the UK. Quince trees are generally slow-growing but very long-lived - and the trees become more attractive as they age. The first fruits are borne after 3-5 years.

All our quince trees are grafted on Quince A (semi-vigorous) or Quince C (semi-dwarf) rootstocks. Quinces are clearly related to pears but they produce smaller and more spreading trees than pears, and for this reason pears are usually grafted on to quince rootstocks to produce trees of more manageable proportions.

Quince rootstocks do not tolerate heavy chalk soils.

Quince trees benefit from a general purpose plant food in late winter, and young trees in particular should have a good layer of mulch to suppress weeds and keep the roots moist - they like slightly damp conditions for their roots. If you can provide a sunny sheltered spot with moist soil you should be successful. Quinces are relatively easy to grow, as they are nearly all self-fertile or partially self-fertile, and need minimal pruning.

Quinces should stored in a cool place after picking (preferably with natural light, it does not need to be dark), to allow the fruit to mature and the fragrant flavour to develop - they can be used after a month or so. It is best to store them away from other fruits unless you want them also to pick up the fragrance of the quinces.