Chaenomeles       Flowering Quince

To be assured of the earliest blossom, Chaenomeles can be trained against a sunny or partially shaded wall. As it is an extremely hardy plant and able to withstand up to twenty degrees of frost, wall protection is far from necessary. It does, however, look very attractive grown in this fashion, especially if it is kept clipped and shaped fairly close to the contours of the wall. It is also useful for growing as part of a mixed or informal hedge. Stems are often thorny, but this is seen as an asset where a hedge is expected to be a functional barrier. As a free-standing specimen in a mixed or shrub border, its flowers arrive at a time when few other shrubs are in bloom. The blossom of flowering quince has such an impact because the flowers appear on bare winter stems. Summer foliage is neat and glossy, providing a pleasing texture especially on plants that are pruned and shaped.

An added bonus from most cultivars is a crop of fruit in late autumn. Small, apple-shaped fruits are green-yellow in colour and remain hard and acidic when raw. Cooking softens them and releases a distinctive aroma; for this reason they are highly sought after as an ingredient for jams and jellies.

Native to woodland areas in China and Japan, flowering quince will thrive in most types of soil but, like most members of the rose family to which it belongs, it needs well-drained conditions. It seems to be unaffected by air pollution so it is ideal for city locations or gardens close to busy roads.

Whichever way flowering quince is grown, annual pruning encourages the best show of early spring blossom and keeps the plant to the required size and shape.  As soon as the last few flowers of spring are fading, young shoots from the previous year should be cut back to the desired length. On taller cultivars, any unwanted, older, leggy growth can be removed at the same time.

Some cultivars, such as white-flowered Chaenomeles x superba ‘Jet Trail’, have a prostrate habit and are ideal for ground cover. But most are popular for their dense, bushy, upright habit and will reach a height and spread of between 1 – 3m (3 – 10ft). There is a large choice of blossom colours with shades of red, pink, orange, green and white often reflected in cultivar names. ‘Winter Snow’, ‘Fire Dance’, ‘Pink Lady’, ‘Madame Butterfly’ and ‘Lemon and Lime’ are amongst the most aptly named flowering quinces.