They are two different plants/trees, they both produce fruit and you can make jelly from both plants. Someone will tell you their Latin names I'm sure.

If your fruits are round, you have got japonica quince, which is Chaenomoles japonica, a shrub with ornamental flowers before the leaves arrive, and the fruits are edible. The pear shaped quince is the fruit of Cydonia oblonga, the quince tree, and that is also edible.

Hi, these are now classed as Chaenomeles, of which there are 3 species, C japonica is a spreading shrub which grows to a height of about 3ft, with a spread of about 6 ft, the tallest 1, which is classed as a shrub or small tree is C cathayensis, which grows to about 10 ft high and about the same spread, the fruits of all of them are edible, but need cooking first, Derek.

Hey, Derekm, are you saying Cydonia has been reclassified as Chaenomeles? When did that happen?!

Hi Bamboo, no Cydonia hasn't been reclassified, it was just the reference to Japanese quince bush, which I knew as Chaenomeles and not as Quince, of which, as I'm sure you know, there is only 1 species, which as you rightly say is Cydonia oblonga, sorry to cause any confusion, Derek.

Okay, thanks for clearing that up.

Which translates as, "I'm a woman so I'm always right, even when I'm wrong". Just kidding Bamboo, LOL.

Can you tell us the name of the third species derekm? According to my "Hilliers" Chaenomeles cathayensis grows as a sparsley branched large shrub with formidable spines and long narrow finely toothed leaves. Flowers are white flushed salmon pink appearing in Spring. The fruits are very large, occasionally 15cm or more long. It was introduced from China around 1800.
Cydonia oblonga is a native of Northern Persia and Turkestan. A small unarmed tree (I take it that means no spines on the branches) up to 6m high. Flowers white to pale rose, fruit golden yellow and fragrant. The leaves turn a rich golden yellow before falling. I hope you can id your plant from these descriptions. Just to satisfy our curiosity how big Ht x Spr. is your bush.

Scotsgran, I think what Derek is referring to are the 3 types of Chaenomeles - there's Chaenomeles japonica, C. speciosa and C. superba. All three have cultivars of various names, and all produce edible quince fruits. Cydonia oblonga, as Derek says, is a separate species, and is a quince tree, producing pear shaped fruits.

Myron, Myron, Myron, dear oh dear.... If it were possible on here, you'd see an emoticon, hands either side of face, looking down and shaking its head gently from side to side;-)

Hi, thanks for the explanation Bamboo, Derek.

Bravo Bamboo - women of the world unite...

Thanks Bamboo