Chaenomeles speciosa
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- ky-NAH-mel-eeze spee-see-OH-sah
- Description
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Flowering quince is a deciduous shrub of the Rosacea family native to China. The name comes from the Greek words chaino meaning to gape and melon meaning an apple, a misnomer in the incorrect belief that the fruits split open. Speciosa meaning showy and is the one most seen in southern home gardens. It is relatively easy to grow in spots with well-drained soil and medium moisture. It does not tolerate alkaline soil. 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 has tangled and dense twiggy growth with spiny branches.
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
Insects, Diseases and Other Plant Problems: Aphids can be a problem on stressed plants. Fire blight and scab susceptible. Chlorosis (yellowing of foliage) will occur if planted in high pH soils.
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
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Dry Stream Bed Garden in Cabarrus County
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Old Red'
- 'Orange Delight'
- 'Orange Storm'
Bright orange double blooms. - 'Pink Storm'
- 'Scarlet Storm'
Rare combination of red, white and pink flowers, sometimes with all three colors on the same flower - 'Old Red'
- 'Old Red', 'Orange Delight', 'Orange Storm', 'Pink Storm', 'Scarlet Storm', 'Toyo-Nishiki'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Old Red'
- 'Orange Delight'
- 'Orange Storm'
Bright orange double blooms. - 'Pink Storm'
- 'Scarlet Storm'
Rare combination of red, white and pink flowers, sometimes with all three colors on the same flower - 'Old Red'
- 'Old Red', 'Orange Delight', 'Orange Storm', 'Pink Storm', 'Scarlet Storm', 'Toyo-Nishiki'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Chaenomeles
- Species:
- speciosa
- Family:
- Rosaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Edible fruit, most often made into jam.
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- China
- Wildlife Value:
- Is occasionally browsed by deer. It attracts hummingbirds and butterflies.
- Edibility:
- Used for making jellies and preserves
- Dimensions:
- Height: 6 ft. 0 in. - 12 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 6 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Broad
- Dense
- Erect
- Multi-stemmed
- Rounded
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Medium
- Appendage:
- Spines
- Thorns
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 6-feet-12 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Pome
- Fruit Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- an apple-shaped pome, yellow-green, speckled with small glandular dots, usually to 7 cm dia. an apple-shaped pome, yellow-green, speckled with small glandular dots, usually to 7 cm dia. Green but turns yellow in the fall, fuzzy skin but hard and astringently tart. Normally used to make quince jelly. 2"-2.5". An apple-shaped pome, yellow-green, speckled with small glandular dots, usually to 2.5" dia.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Orange
- Pink
- Red/Burgundy
- White
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Good Cut
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Winter
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- Scarlet, red, pink, or white single to double flowers in late winter to early spring before leaves emerge. Solitary, pink-red-orange-yellow-white, scentless, to 2" dia; petals (5), rounded-obovate, large, stalked; sepals dentate; stamens(40-60) usually golden.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Smooth
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Oblong
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Alternate, simple, glossy, dark green leaves; 1.5-3.5 in. long; bronzy red when first emerges; non-showy fall color. On pins, alternate, simple ovate to oblong to lanceolate, serrate; persistent stipules are broad and leafy, kidney-shaped.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Slender, brownish, sometimes spiny.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Container
- Rock Wall
- Slope/Bank
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Edible Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Barrier
- Border
- Hedge
- Mass Planting
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Hummingbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Salt
- Problems:
- Spines/Thorns
