About
Cydonia oblonga 'Rea's Mammoth' is a medium-sized deciduous tree, typically growing to about 6 meters in height. It features green foliage and produces self-fertile flowers that are white to pale pink. These blooms give way to large, aromatic yellow fruit with a subtly ribbed texture.
About the genus
Cydonia consists of sizable deciduous shrubs featuring simple, ovate foliage. The plants produce bowl-shaped flowers with five petals, which can be pink or white. After flowering, they bear fruits resembling pears, which are suitable for consumption once they mature.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Full sun
- Soil type
- Clay, Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Acid, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well-drained
- Aspect
- East-facing, South-facing, West-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H5
Plant details
- Plant type
- Fruit Edible, Trees
- Habit
- Spreading branched
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Height
- 4-8 metres
- Spread
- 2.5-4 metres
- Time to full height
- 5-10 years
- Suggested uses
- Cottage and informal garden
- Fragrance
- Fruit
- Toxicity
- Seeds contain toxins so these should be removed if you are considering eating the fruit, usually grown as an ornamental shrub. Pets: Fruit are ornamental - not to be eaten - see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants for further information and useful contact numbers
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Grow in deep, fertile, moist but well-drained soil in a warm, sheltered spot. For more advice see quince cultivation
- Pruning
- Pruning group 1
- Propagation
- Propagate from semi-ripe cuttings in summer and hardwood cuttings in autumn or early winter, but if parent if grafted, the height will be much taller. If so, propagate by grafting onto correct rootstock
- Pest resistance
- May be susceptible to aphids
- Disease resistance
- May be susceptible to quince leaf blight, brown rot, fireblight and powdery mildews