Stop-Action Quince, Part 1

The fruiting quince is an unusual but wonderful addition to the Desert Garden. It forms a handsome small shade tree with pretty pink Spring flowers, and pays off at the end of the season with large fragrant fruit.

It has recently come to my attention that some people have never watched a quince develop and ripen. Starting this week, we will follow the development of one single quince fruit, from its beginnings as a newly pollinated little lump, through the vicissitudes of weather in the Desert Garden, to its eventual (keep your fingers crossed) full development, ripening, and harvest. Think of it as a public service.

To get things started, here are the first three pictures, depicting, in descending order, the life of the quince from fruit set to what is best described as "a few weeks after fruit set." Notice in the last picture that it's actually beginning to get a bit chubby.

Stay tuned for future episodes.

Tyler