North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Elizabeth Hilborn <ehilborn@mebtel.net>]

I have never tried growing Cydonia oblonga before as we have severe fire 
blight here. However, a site opened up with good ventilation and first 
AM sun. I love the fruit so I bought a tree. It arrived in our warm 
early spring, I was able to protect it from the late freezes. It was 
vigorous and put out at least 10 inches of new growth with healthy leaves.

Now, although it has escaped fire blight, it is suffering extensively 
from rust. The apical meristem is brown and necrotic, each leaf is at 
least somewhat deformed and every petiole is swelling with future 
fruiting bodies. One petiole has already started releasing spores.

I feel like I have staked a goat out in a tiger infested jungle.

So, does anyone have experience with this? Is this young tree destined 
to die a long, protracted death, or can it survive this severe rust 
infection?  I would rather rip the quince out if it is a hopeless cause 
for survival. This IS a bad rust year, my apples are suffering too - not 
every year is so bad....


Betsy Hilborn
7a Central NC