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Pseudocydonia sinensis

Chinese Quince · Chinese-quince

Family RosaceaeGenus Pseudocydonia

A pink five-petalled flower with a ring of pale stamens, on a red-brown twig with bronze-green leaves.
FlowerRorolinusCC BY-SA 3.0

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

The plant

Habit
TreeExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Habit
shrub or treePlants of the World Online
Height
10-20 ft3-6.1 mExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Spread
5-15 ft1.5-4.6 mExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Flower
Pink, WhiteExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Blooms
SpringExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Native range
China North-Central, China South-Central, China SoutheastGBIF Backbone Taxonomy
Hardiness zones
6-8Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox

Growing conditions

Sun
Full sunExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Soil
Clay, High Organic Matter, Loam (Silt)Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Moisture
Good Drainage, MoistExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — NC State Extension; Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

  • Chinese quince is the only species in its genus. Its hard, astringent fruit is used in traditional Chinese medicine and eaten in East Asia. Wikipedia: Pseudocydonia

Two sources report 4 treatments between them. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1998

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around January 25, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Clean the flesh off the seed

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Temperature: 40°F 4°C

Germination happens during step 2, in 70 days.

100% germination in 70 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Chaenomeles p. 23Public domain
Show the original text
Chaenomeles (Rosaceae). C. sinensis germ. 40(100% in 10th w) and 70D( 10%)-40(70% in 9th w) for seeds WC either one d or 7 d.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Chaenomeles p. 23. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1998

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around November 3, 2026 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Clean the flesh off the seed

  2. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

    10 germinated in this phase.

  3. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

about 3 months from start to step 3. Germination happens during step 3, in 63 days.

70% germination in 63 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Chaenomeles p. 23Public domain
Show the original text
Chaenomeles (Rosaceae). C. sinensis germ. 40(100% in 10th w) and 70D( 10%)-40(70% in 9th w) for seeds WC either one d or 7 d.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Chaenomeles p. 23. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 3

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 15, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Clean the flesh off the seed

  2. Leach in running water

    Duration: 7 days

    Washed and cleaned daily for 7 days.

  3. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C

7 days from start to sowing. Then 14 days to germinate.

50% germination in 2–14 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Chaenomeles p. 30Public domain
Show the original text
Chaenomeles (Rosaceae). C. sinensis is the commercial quince. It germ. 70(4/8 in 2-14 d) for seeds WC 7 d and 70(1/10 in 4th w) for seeds simply rinsed.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Chaenomeles p. 30. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 4

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 1, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Clean the flesh off the seed

  2. Leach in running water

    Duration: 7 days

    Washed and cleaned daily for 7 days.

  3. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C

7 days from start to sowing. Then 28 days to germinate.

10% germination in 28 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Chaenomeles p. 30Public domain
Show the original text
Chaenomeles (Rosaceae). C. sinensis is the commercial quince. It germ. 70(4/8 in 2-14 d) for seeds WC 7 d and 70(1/10 in 4th w) for seeds simply rinsed.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Chaenomeles p. 30. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

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