Quince
Tough and hardy flowering Quince are easy to grow. Bright spring blooms will attract butterflies, hummingbirds and birds.
Japanese Quince Chaenomeles japonica ‘Cameo’
Hardiness Zones: Zones 5-9
Light Requirements: Full sun
Water Requirements: Prefers a moist soil and is somewhat drought tolerant once established. Water regularly
Mature Height: 3-5 feet
Mature Spread: 1-5 feet
Shape: Compact, upright and rounded
Growth Rate: Moderate
Soil Preference: Prefers medium well drained soil but will adapt to dry or clay soils.
Foliage: Rich clear green
Blooms: Deep apricot pink
Fruit: Showy
Disease and Insects: Deer and rabbit resistant.
Fertilize: Apply an all purpose plant food in spring
Pruning: Prune after flowering. May sucker and suckers should be root pruned to prevent too much spread.
Early blooms are welcomed with the crocus each spring. The showy semi double flowers are borne in clusters of deep apricot pink. ‘Cameo’ blooms a bit later than many varieties of Quince, appearing in profusion late late spring. Blooms best in full sun. The lightly fragrant blooms mature to big yellow green fruits 2 inches across by mid fall.. Although edible they are quite tart and need to be used for jams or jellies.
The foliage emerges reddish in spring and matures to a clear green. The spreading form is dense with spiny branches, great for a security barrier at your home’s foundation. ‘Cameo’ blooms on old growth so prune if necessary after blooming., however this will reduce fruit production. Since the fruits are tart they are not typically eaten by wildlife and may be considered “messy” dropping to the ground.
Japanese Quince Chaenomeles x superba ‘Fusion’
Hardiness Zones: Zones 4-8
Light Requirements: Full sun
Water Requirements: Prefers a moist soil and is somewhat drought tolerant once established. Water regularly
Mature Height: 1-2 feet
Mature Spread: 6-8 feet
Shape: Spreading with arched branches
Growth Rate: Moderate
Soil Preference: Prefers medium well drained soil but will adapt to dry or clay soils.
Foliage: Glossy deep green
Blooms: Scarlet red single blooms
Fruit: Yellow showy fruits
Disease and Insects: Somewhat susceptible to aphids and to fungal leaf spot in wet springs. Chlorosis may develop in alkaline soils.
Fertilize: Apply an all purpose plant food in spring
Pruning: Prune after spring flowering. May sucker and suckers should be root pruned to prevent too much spread.
2 inch single blooms are bright scarlet red, appearing in spring. The shrub is dense and spreading with arching thorny branches. Leaves emerge red after blooms open and mature to a glossy deep green. Fruits develop in fall, showy yellow pomes that may be considered messy as the fall but are not typically eaten by wildlife. Gather to sweeten the tart fruits for preserves.
Japanese Quince Chaenomeles lagenaria ‘Scarlet Storm’
Hardiness Zones: Zones 5-9
Light Requirements: Full sun
Water Requirements: Prefers a moist soil and is somewhat drought tolerant once established. Water regularly
Mature Height: 4-5 feet
Mature Spread: 5-6 feet
Shape: Compact, upright and rounded
Growth Rate: Moderate
Soil Preference: Prefers medium well drained soil but will adapt to dry or clay soils.
Foliage: Glossy deep green
Blooms: Vivid double red blooms
Fruit: None
Disease and Insects: Somewhat susceptible to fungal leaf spot in wet springs. Chlorosis may develop in alkaline soils.
Fertilize: Apply an all purpose plant food in spring
Pruning: Prune after spring flowering. May sucker and suckers should be root pruned to prevent too much spread.
‘Scarlet Storm’ will bloom best in full sun but will tolerate some shade. Astonishing large scarlet red blooms cover the branches right to the tip in early spring. The 2 inch blooms are full with 17 to 25 petals and resemble camellia blooms. Also known as Double Take, ‘Scarlet Storm’ will often rebloom in fall. In cold climates plant in where it will have some protection from spring frosts to avoid damage to flower buds. But in warmest regions afternoon sun will benefit the plant.
Snip the branches with flower buds waiting to open to force the bloom indoors for a glorious pop of spring where you can enjoy it all day. Plant ‘Scarlet Storm’ wherever bright spring color is desired. It will do quite well on slopes to resist erosion. Once matured the shrub is quite heat and drought tolerant. This newer variety is thornless.