Solved Mystery Yellow Fruit Bearing Plant...

I found this growing in the borders on the housing estate.





It has a strong aromatic fruity fragrance not too dissimilar to pears when cut in half. And, very astringent to the taste.

I have my suspicions but any ideas on what it might be?


PS, please don't mark the thread as solved until the variety has been identified.

 

They look like a type of Quince to me...

 

I think it is probably one of the flowering types of quince, often called "japonica" but I'll not like to guess which one.

 

There is 'Cydonia Oblonga' and 'Chaenomeles'. I would suggest yours is the latter but I don't know which variety. ​

 

Definitely Chaenomeles sp.
Flower next year may help with which one it is.

 

I just ran out and took the last 2 pictures. They are after our first frost. I wanted you to see what the fruit looks like and how the branches look. I have many of them. I keep them cut down short. They can get very tall and large and out of control...Here, in my garden, everything is under my control....most of the time, with the one exception of my very favorite hubby... LOL.

 

Chaenomeles flowers can be white, pink, red or peach... single or double.

chaenomeles flowers - Google Search

The clue to id is the tiny rounded leaves in between the bigger leaves..these are stipules.
Cydonia oblongaor true Quince does not have these...Chaenomeles Japanese quince does.

chaenomeles stipules - Google Search:

The fruits can be used to make jam or wine.

 

They take forever to cook and have to be eaten with a runcible spoon. Worth a try

 

I foraged some last weekend and made a nice quince jelly. They have loads of pectin so it's nice and easy to get it to set! Here's a recipe, in case you're interested: Recipe of quince jelly / RHS Gardening

 

You wonderful, wonderful people, thank you.

Thanks in particular to Barb in Pa for the fantastic pictures - I very much appreciate the extra effort.

I will report back next year about flower colour.