can you identify this strange fruit?

[Mrs.aLifeofReilly]

We've only been at our home for a couple months, so we don't yet know all of the things the previous owner had planted (but we know she had a lot of edibles).  We're in zone 5b, so just starting to thaw out a bit now and I've been walking around trying to figure out what's here.

There is a large bush (photo below) that has a couple small (golf ball sized) orange fruits that must have hung on through all the snow we got.  I'm not really sure what they are.  One thought I had was persimmon, but other than the ones in the grocery store (which are much larger than this) I've never seen a persimmon, and never seen one on the tree.  But this is a large bush, not a tree.

So, here's the bush -

http://i54.tinypic.com/10dryfq.jpg

Here's the outside of the shriveled up fruit -

http://i53.tinypic.com/2hqatme.jpg

and the inside -

http://i56.tinypic.com/15o9lqp.jpg

Any ideas?

[number572]

oh, nm!  I thought persimmon too, but yeah its a tree. hmm...

edit - I just read that you can prune a persimmon tree into bush form.  I think its a persimmon and she just kept it at a manageable size to get more fruit from it.

[Mrs.aLifeofReilly]

Yeah, that was my thought too.  Any idea what variety has a bush habit and makes small golf-ball sized fruits?

[number572]

No, I googled "pruning a persimmon tree into a bush" and got a bunch of links.  I'm checking our various veg/fruit to grow in containers and on a balcony, so your thread intrigued me.  Not sure if its any particular type of persimmon, maybe she just pruned a common tree that she had since it was small?

[Mrs.aLifeofReilly]

More googling on my end and maybe it is a quince bush?

I found these photos of quince seeds and a quince bush (in bloom though)

http://healthyhomegardening.com/images/artatom100/quince_395.jpg

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_K620XUd-FUU/S-Blv8MXU7I/AAAAAAAAA_0/E-MBqD1wiFI/s400/P5030161.JPG

[number572]

Is it totally dead or just in it's winter phase?  Maybe you could prune back the branches and see how it looks and how it fruits this year, if its alive but dormant.  If the previous lady had a lot of edibles, she may have kept it pruned to reach the fruits, if it ends up being a persimmon.  I've seen some tiny trees pruned for balcony and container gardening... even orange trees and other citrus bearing trees that are kept at around 6' tall!!  I think that's so neat!

Good luck figuring out what you've got there.  Post back and tell us what it is if you can!

[Chicky2]

We used to have a couple of bushes outside my home when I was a kid.  My dad said they were wild persimmons.  They bloomed yellow, and he used to prune them into elephant shapes, lol.  I guess that's not much help until you see them bloom, though.  Possibly could be the quince....

[RosieL]

A friend's quince has GORGEOUS flowers right now (in zone 5?). If that's what you've got, you're in for some gorgeousness very shortly!

[Mrs.aLifeofReilly]

Thanks everyone!  Tomorrow a local orchardist is coming to help us identify the fruit trees and bushes on the property and hopefully I'll get an answer to this one!  I'll update tomorrow night.

[Owen'nZoe]

I'm so curious to know what it turned out to be. From your pictures, it looks like a large rose hip. If it is a quince - I agree - the flowers are gorgeous. My MIL makes quince jam from hers and it is lovely.

[PenelopeJune]

Definitely not a persimmon, the seeds are way wrong.

[cloudswinger]

I vote not a persimmon. They usually have big stem caps that are hard when dried. And their seeds are usually bigger, darker and flatter.

[Chicky2]

Wellllllllll??????????????????  I'm dying to know!
 

Originally Posted by Mrs.aLifeofReilly 

Thanks everyone!  Tomorrow a local orchardist is coming to help us identify the fruit trees and bushes on the property and hopefully I'll get an answer to this one!  I'll update tomorrow night.

[onetrumpeter]

I'm curious, too!  My first guess was that it was a rosehip - some sort of rose bush?  but not sure what the inside of a rosehip looks like, nor if they have seeds like that?  let us know what you learn! :)