Small tree native to western Asia but widely cultivated elsewhere. The bitter, yellow, pear-shaped fruit is used in preserves. Flowering quinces are cultivated mainly for their attractive flowers. (Cydonia oblonga; flowering quince; genus Chaenomeles; family Rosaceae.)
Blue symbolizes hope, the clear sky, and the streams of the south. Yellow stands for the sun and the Sahara Desert. Red represents unity, prosperity, and national sacrifice. Effective date: 6 November 1959.