Flowering Quince

The lovely flowering quince we grow in our gardens is a member of the Chaenomeles genus.    These spring bloomers are grown for their pretty flowers.  They sometimes make fruit but are primarily ornamental.  There are other types of quince which have better fruit for consumption.  Horticultural Flowering Quinces are generally hybrids of 2 quince species; the most common one offered for sale is labeled Chaenomeles × superba.   Chaenomeles is native to Asia.

The flowering quince is a shrub about 3-4 feet in height and width when mature.  It has oval leaves with serrated edges that are alternately arranged.  The leaves are reddish in the spring and turn dark green later.   The stems of the plant are covered in spines, which makes the flowering quince excellent for a barrier hedge and keeps deer from totally destroying them.  They are good specimen plants for spring color and can be mixed into large borders for spring color. Hummingbirds visit flowering quince flowers in early spring and birds like to nest in its thick thorny center.

In zone 5-6 flowering quince has pretty rose-red flowers in May. They are hardy from zones 5-9.  The flowers are shaped like apple blossoms, although a bit larger, and cover the stems for a beautiful floral show.  After flowering some of the shrubs may produce some fruit, tiny, very hard, greenish yellow apple shaped fruit.  After a frost the fruit softens a bit and can be used in jams and jellies.  It’s very tart and high in pectin.  Most flowering quinces don’t produce very much fruit however and yours may never have fruit.  Fruit is more likely if there are several flowering quince shrubs in close proximity to each other.

There are numerous named cultivars in the nursery trade with flowers of red, orange and pink. Once in while white flowered varieties are offered.  There are also double flowered varieties and thorn-less varieties.  Varieties include ‘Texas Scarlet’,  the ‘Double Take’ series ( Red Storm, Orange Storm  or Pink Storm ) with doubled flowers, ‘Cameo’ double peach pink  and ‘Dragons Blood’, deep red and thorn-less.  Usually however the gardener will find flowering quince listed in catalogs as an unnamed variety.

The flowering quince prefers full sun and fertile, moist but well drained soil.  It prefers a neutral to slightly acidic pH.  In alkaline soils the plant may look chlorotic (pale green) but some acidic fertilizer will generally correct that.  The plant will tolerate dry conditions for moderate amounts of time after it’s established.  For good bloom fertilize with a slow release general purpose fertilizer in early spring. 

Flowering Quince is related to apples and shares many apple diseases and pests such as rust, scab, and fireblight.  They can be treated for those problems in the same manner as apples, with either preventative sprays or spot treatments of pesticides.  Usually however there are few problems when they are grown in the landscape.  Deer avoid the plants (they may eat thorn-less varieties) but rabbits will eat them, and the base of the plant should be protected in winter with a wire guard. 

Flowering quince can be pruned to maintain shape and size any time after they flower to mid-winter.  Avoid pruning from mid-winter through flowering or you will lose the blooms.  In zone 5 severe winters may kill the blooms but the plants usually survive. 

The flowering quince was a favorite of earlier gardeners and still deserves a place in home landscapes if you have a sunny place for it.  Your neighbors will want one after they see yours in bloom.