Quince
Botanical Name(s): Cydonia oblonga
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Rosales
Family: Rutaceae
Genus: Cydonia
Species: C. oblonga
Popular Name(s): Bael, Apple Wood, Holy Fruit Tree
Habitat: Found all over deciduous forests in India.
Description
Quince is a small deciduous tree, growing 5-8 m tall and 4-6 m wide, related to apples and pears. Just like the two, it has a pome fruit, which is bright golden-yellow when mature, pear-shaped, 7-12 cm long and 6-9 cm broad. Quince is the only member of the genus Cydonia and native to Southwest Asia in the Caucasus region, which experiences warm temperature. The immature fruit of the plant is green in color, with dense grey-white pubescence. As the fruit matures, its color changes to yellow and it develops a hard and heavily perfumed flesh.
Uses & Benefits of Quince
- Quince is used in treating diarrhea, dysentery, and constipation. It has aromatic, astringent, cooling, and febrifuge properties and acts as a tonic for heart and brain.
- The dried pits of its fruit are used to remedy soreness of throat and relieving cough. The pits are soaked in water and the solution is consumed like a cough medicine. It is commonly used for children and is 100% alcohol free.
- Quince is commonly grown in the central and southern areas of Europe, where the summers are hot enough for the fruit to ripen. It is used for making a juice in Germany, known as Quittensaft.
- In the Balkans, quince is used for making brandy.
- Quince tree is planted as a symbol of fertility, love and life in countries like Slavonia and Croatia.
- In Malta, the fruits of quince are used to make jams. It is also believed that a teaspoon of quince jam, dissolved in a cup of boiling water, relieves intestinal discomfort. Quince is used to make jam in Lebanon as well.
- In Iran, Quince is called ‘Beh’. It is used raw as well as in jams. The seeds of the plant are used to treat pneumonia and lung disease.
- Quince seeds are boiled and then ingested to remedy Pneumonia in Afghanistan.
- In Pakistan, quince fruits are stewed together with sugar until they assume a bright red color. The resulting stewed quince, known as muraba in local language, is preserved in jars and consumed like jam.
- The powder made from quince leaves helps in reducing digestion-related problems, like indigestion and diarrhea. It also works to promote appetite, nourishes heart and helps against blood clotting, in case of injuries and hemorrhages.
- Quince helps in relieving inflammation of the internal organs, especially of the uterus.
- Quincy juice proves to be very effective against diabetes and urinary problems. It also helps against respiratory disorders like cough, cold and asthma.
