I need your noses (apple vs pear blossom)

[Llamas]

Okay, I have a theory and I'd appreciate your noses. In our orchard there are definitely pear trees (quince rootstocks have suckered, and what grows on quince? Pear. Clever me) and there are two other trees, which looks similiar but I think are apples.
Now, my theory goes thus; The blossom of the two groups of trees ('pear' and 'possible apple') smell different. The suspected apple trees smell quite fresh and typically flowery, while the pear smells distinctly of...get this, fish. I've been sniffing other people's pear and apple trees and have found the same difference in smell . Has anyone else ever noticed this? Is it a known diagnostic menthod or has my odd habit of smelling come good?

[veggiechicken]

I rushed out to sniff my pears as instructed. Most of the blossom has gone now but there was one flower left at nose level - so I sniffed it! Its disgusting As you describe, fishy, like the inside of a tin of tuna fish that has not been washed out properly.
Apple blossom - heavenly. These flowers have pink tints but the pear is white.
I have a very old pear tree that has suckered and these suckers have quince flowers. They've never fruited though. Disappointing as I'd like a quince tree there.

[Llamas]

Thanks veggiechicken! Sorry you if you got a particularly stinky one. I had similar thoughts on the quince suckers (leaving perhapse the biggest one) as I'd really like a quince tree too but if they're not going to fruit then I'm tempted to removed them like I know I should. I've dug a fair few of the rootlets up though for free rootstocks for grafting later (when I know how), maybe you can do the same if you're so inclined? Quince are lovely trees. I'd grow one just for their flowers and leaves

[veggiechicken]

It was a challenge I couldn't refuse, Llamas! (I have to say your name the Welsh way, with the double L, but I'm sure its the furry animals really).
The old pear must be at least 50 years old. I've had it for over 30 years and its always looked as if its going to fall over. The quince flowers have only appeared in the last 5 or so years so its a long wait!

[FB.]

I have a very old pear tree that has suckered and these suckers have quince flowers. They've never fruited though.

Perhaps the Quince flowers need a pollinator in the form of a different variety of Quince?

On the other hand, maybe Quince take a few years before they fruit; it is not unusual for young trees of certain types to have flowers, but the flowers are virtually sterile until the tree is mature (a bit like children resemble men or women, but children can't generally reproduce until they're into their teens - and even then it is not health for them to do so). This type of mechanism prevents a young tree from exhausting itself too early in life.

It appears to often be a feature of MM111 (vigorous) apple rootstock too, which is why it generally ends up as quite a large tree even though its growth rate is about medium.
The very vigorous M25 apple rootstock, on the other hand, will fruit heavily at a very young age and will fruit as erly in life as any dwarf.
This can result in M25 trees not reaching their full potential size; maybe being about the same mature size as slower-growing but slower-to-fruit MM111 trees.