Japanese flowering quince, Chinese-quince
Chaenomeles speciosa

Family: Rosaceae

What it is like

A shrub or small tree. It grows 1.8-2.5 m tall and spreads 2.5-3.7 m wide. The leaves are 10 cm long and 3.5 cm wide. The flowers are red and occur singly. They are 3-5 cm across. The flowers and fruit have short stalks. The fruit is small. They are 4-7 cm long. It smells like a quince. The fruit form on the older wood. There are some named cultivated varieties.

There are about 3 Chaenomeles species.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It is frost hardy. It does best in a warm climate to fully ripen the fruit. Plants fruit best in the sun. It suits hardiness zones 6-9. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Australia, Bhutan, Britain, China (country/location of origin), Europe, Himalayas, Indochina, Japan, Madagascar, Myanmar, SE Asia, Slovenia, Tibet, USA

How it is used for food

The fruit are normally made into jelly or jam. They can be used to flavour fruit pies. They can be parboiled or cooked and mashed after the seeds are removed then honey and ginger added to make a drink. The fruit are used as a spice and to prepare wine.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Plants can be grown by seed. They can also be grown by semi-ripe cuttings or by layering.

In Yunnan fruit are harvested in September and October.

Its other names

Local names

Japonica, Japonska kutina, Kaontsisinoa, Suomugua, Wrinkled-skinned quince, Zhoupi Mugua

Synonyms

Chaenomeles lagenaria auct.; Cydonia speciosa Sweet; Pyrus japonica;