Ornamental quince, Chaenomeles

Quinces are invaluable early-flowering ornamental shrubs that produce delicate yet resilient blooms. They're easy to grow and some produce plump golden fruits that make delicious preserves.

Recommended varieties

Native to China and Japan, quinces are often called Japanese quinces or japonica. The simple, five-petalled blooms look a little like apple blossom, but last much longer, from February until early summer.

The main flush of bloom usually occurs in April. A profusion of rounded buds unfurl in clusters along the twiggy stems producing flowers in pure white, the palest of pinks, coral, flame and darkest scarlet, depending on the variety. The flowers appear on bare stems, just prior to the emerging new leaves and are eventually partially hidden among the foliage.

Most varieties are forms of these three types - Chaenomeles speciosa , C. japonica and their hybrid, C. x superba .

The largest and most vigorous members of the family are large shrubs up to 3m (10ft) tall and wide. These are best positioned in a semi-wild part of the garden, or within a mixed informal hedge and left to their own devices.

C. x superba 'Jet Trail' and C. speciosa 'Simonii' are two refined varieties with prostrate habits. The white-flowered 'Jet Trail' and semi-double red 'Simonii' can create effective, waist-high ground cover on awkward slopes or in shady corners of the garden.
Cydonia oblonga , the common quince, has been cultivated longer than the apple and is a common tree in parts of the Mediterranean, although grown less in Britain. It's easy to grow and produces highly fragrant fruit. Large pale flowers are borne in late spring along with large soft leaves covered in silvery down when young.
C. oblonga 'Vranja' is the most widely grown variety of common quince. It is self-fertile and produces pear-shaped fruits. It is normally grafted on to a rootstock which controls its vigour, resulting in a tree about 3.6m (12ft) tall.
C. speciosa 'Nivalis' provides a cooler colour scheme with large flowers of snow-driven white.
C. x superba 'Rowallane' and 'Crimson and Gold' produce deep, blood-red flowers and contrasting golden stamens.
C. x superba 'Pink Lady' makes a pleasant contrast with the reds.
C. x superba 'Cameo' and C. speciosa 'Geisha Girl' are two newer varieties with large peachy-apricot blooms that look superb when permitted to arch and tumble over a low wall.
C. x superba 'Knap Hill Scarlet' is one of the most popular varieties with a profusion of orange-scarlet flowers.

One of the most decorative ways of using ornamental quince is as a wall plant. With a little initial effort, a plant can be trained as a fan against a vertical edge by regularly tying its shoots to horizontal wires. A finished specimen is easily maintained, needing only a summer trim to cut back any badly placed shoots near their base.

C. speciosa 'Phylis Moore': a good wall specimen with sparse stems that wreath themselves in double coral-pink blooms.
C. speciosa 'Moerloosei': one of the best varieties for wall training, freely producing pale blossom-pink flowers over many weeks.

Growing tips

Site and soil preferences

Quinces are able to grow in most positions and soils. The exception is excessively limey soil, which causes the common ailment of yellow leaves. Few pests or diseases affect them otherwise.

Pruning

Minimal pruning is needed to keep quinces in their allotted space. This should be done immediately after flowering.

All shoots that have flowered can be shortened back to strong buds or shoots near their base. One-fifth of old stems should be removed from older specimens to encourage replacement shoots.

Quince fruits

Although grown mainly for their flowers, ornamental quinces can produce attractive, apple-shaped edible fruit that persists throughout autumn.

The fruit of the common quince, Cydonia oblonga , has by far the best flavour. It can be trained as an open-centred bush on a short stem and once the framework is established, needs minimal pruning. It needs regular feeding and mulching with a well-rotted compost or manure every spring.

The fragrant fruits, which resemble hard, lumpy pears, can't be eaten raw but are valued in preserves and for baking. The most common variety is C. oblonga 'Vranja', whose pear-shaped fruits are ready for picking when they turn from green to gold in late autumn.