What is It?

It is a Pseudocydonia, a Chinese Quince fruit.

I started a Pedal group which is run by the arthritis society today with my friend. It has been booked up for a few weeks and I do hope I can do the three month course. Today was only the introduction and doing a test and filling out some forms. They like you to do the full three months. I did say I was going away next week but they said that was OK.

Today's meeting was at Abberley Park where I took the shot of the Monarch butterfly the other week. As were leaving the park we saw this wonderful tree with interesting fruit that the birds were really enjoying eating way up high in the tree. None of us knew what there were and then a few other people joined in and managed to pick some to have a closer look. Then a lady walking a dog came by and told us what they were.

The tree had a interesting bark the bark covers a rippling trunk unique in hardy trees: It's completely ringed with rounded, narrow, vertical waves—called flutes—and looks like a column sheathed with floor-length drapery in a stylish, environmentally-cool pattern.
 
The fruit as you can see in my shot is Bright yellow, fragrant, hard, and heavy, they fall to the ground with a bounce.The deep-yellow oval fruits can be between 125mm to 180mm long, and can weigh nearly 1kg. They ripen from late Summer into Fall, and can remain on the branches well into Autumn, even after foliage drop. The flowers vary from pale to deep pink. They're fragrant, too. They have a handsome foliage and lovely autumn colours.

The fruit is hard and astringent, though it does soften and becomes less astringent after a period of frost. It can be used in the same way as quince is used for making jam. It is also grown as an ornamental tree in southern Europe.

The wood of this plant is frequently used in Japan for making low-end Shamisen.

For more information and photos on the Chinese Quince

It is John's 70th birthday today so we are going out for a meal. My voice has lost itself competently today so was grateful to my freind who could speck for me.