Note 5: Chaenomeles - the flowering quince

Flowering quinces have long played a part in my life.  I remember in the early 70’s a huge tangle of growth emanating from the garden next door.  Abutting our treehouse its pillar box red flowers always stood out and the subsequent hard apple-like fruits were good ammunition for throwing at prowling older brothers or approaching enemies.

Flowering quince, or Chaenomeles as they are known to botanists, always give the impression of a plant from a bygone age.  Referred to as 'Japonicas' by old timers at my allotments, they can often be seen growing in the gardens of old estate cottages or in the front driveways of 1930’s semis tucked into the recesses of the pebble-dashed bay window.  In my gardening talks I refer to them as “forgotten plants needing a long overdue return” and with the large number of varieties now available they can be a very willing cast member in modern gardens as well as traditional stone cottages.

Choosing one for your garden is made easy (or is it harder?) with over 50 options available via the RHS Plant Finder.  If the old shocking-reds appear a little harsh for a contemporary plan there are more subtle alternatives.  ‘Geisha Girl’ with apricot-pink flowers, is a popular choice along with ‘Madame Butterfly’ in salmon-pink, or ’Pink Lady’ with dark pink blooms.  All three have the additional reassurance of an RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGM), an accolade shared with  ‘Moerloosei’, my favourite (pictured) which I still call by its previous synonym of ‘Apple Blossom’.  With pink and white flowers it’s quite obvious where this name came from and they’re the first flowering shrub I really look forward to seeing in spring.  Early to flower I’ve often photographed them with their delicate flowers encased in tombs of frozen rain drops. 

For the purist, white flowers are available on ‘Nivalis’ or ‘Jet Trail’, and for the eccentric who always likes a talking point ‘Tortuosa’ and ‘Contorta’ both display twisted stems much like the more familiar corkscrew hazels.  Unfussy as to planting position and soil type, quince can thrive on neglect but can also be taken in hand and pruned to keep within bounds.  I’ve seen them as hedges, rounded into uniform blobs, left free to roam, or beautifully trained on wires and kept tight against shady north facing walls.