Chaenomeles speciosa

Flowering quince is a deciduous shrub of the Rosacea family. It is native to China and is relatively easy to grow in spots with well drained soil and medium moisture. It is tolerant of shade but will flower the most if placed in full sun. When mature this plant is mildly drought tolerant.

Flowering quince is a showy plant in multiple ways. Around March and into April it will flower profusely with medium-sized, scarlet-red blooms. Like its common name suggests, this plant is a fruiting shrub and produces quince fruit. These fruits are normally considered inedible right off of the tree due to their being hard and bitter; however, they are used to create preserves and jellies and some people eat them after having them set out to ripen. The fruits are yellow-green in color and around 2.5 inches long. This plant will flower off of old growth and moderation in pruning is recommended if you desire fruit, otherwise, this plant can be pruned heavily. Prune in the spring to shape and to stimulate the growth of flowering spurs for the next year. This will improve the next year's flowering but will reduce fruit production for the current year.

Flowering quince is a tough, hardy plant that would make a great informal hedge.  It is moderately salt-tolerant, and in comparison, it is more upright than its relative Japanese flowering quince. It dislikes high pH.  It has tangled and dense twiggy growth with spiny branches.

Insects and Diseases: Aphids can be a problem on stressed plants.  Fire blight susceptible.

Quick ID Hints:

• Broad, kidney-shaped stipules at leaf bases
• Flowers have 5 STALKED petals, appear before leaves
• Leaves are on dwarf shoots, alternate first year
• Shrubs are usually thorny, have cane-like growth

Deciduous shrub or small tree to 10'. Produces showy blooms in early spring before leaves; produces ornamental, edible fruits in fall; fruits used for jellies and preserves; used as hedge, massing, barrier (spiny!), shrub border; there are dwarf forms available for low borders. 

C. speciosa is the species most often seen in southern gardens. Stems upright, arching apically, 4-6'. Flowers red. 

C. japonica is a dwarf shrub 2-4' tall; branches arch outward. Flowers salmon to orangish. 

Tolerates dry soil; intolerant of alkaline soil; easily transplanted; rapid, cane-like growth; pest/disease problems.

VIDEO created by Ryan Contreras for “Landscape Plant Materials I:  Deciduous Hardwoods and Conifers or Landscape Plant Materials II:  Spring Flowering Trees and Shrubs” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Horticulture at Oregon State University