It is a small deciduous tree that bears a pome fruit, similar in appearance to a pear, and bright golden-yellow when mature.
Throughout history the cooked fruit has been used as food, but the tree is also grown for its attractive pale pink blossoms and other ornamental qualities.
The immature fruit is green with dense grey-white pubescence, most of which rubs off before maturity in late autumn when the fruit changes colour to yellow with hard, strongly perfumed flesh.
Most varieties of quince are too hard, astringent and sour to eat raw unless "bletted" (softened by frost and subsequent decay).
High in pectin, they are used to make jam, jelly and quince pudding, or they may be peeled, then roasted, baked or stewed; pectin levels diminish as the fruit ripens.
The very strong perfume means they can be added in small quantities to apple pies and jam to enhance the flavour.
The term "marmalade", originally meaning a quince jam, derives from marmelo, the Portuguese word for this fruit.
The fruit can be used to make a type of wine.
Because of its often high acidity, which is mainly due to its malic acid content, these wines are usually sweet dessert wines that are high in alcohol.
Quince can be used as a tea additive to mainly green tea, giving it a rather sweetish taste.