Quince Bush 'Toyo-Nishiki' (Chaenomeles speciosa)

This flowering quince in special! This one produces beautiful flowers in shades of red, pink and white often in the same flower. Flowers are followed by apple sized edible fruits used mostly for jams and jellies but also have strong medicinal properties. Flowers often totally cover the bush in spring time before leaves are fully formed. The downside is they do have nasty thorns and can look messy when leaves have dropped if not pruned well. However the downside is far outweighed by the upside. Plus deer and rabbits dont eat it, although birds may nest in large shrubs and rabbits den beneath them as their habit is so protective. Hardy from zone 5 down to 8 likes full sun in most zones and is very easy to grow. Awesome addition to any garden.

This is not your typical flowering quince bush. This one is special. Its form is very similar to other flowering quince. Its a deciduous shrub that can grow to 8 feet (2.4m) in height. The branches are thorny with spikes often reaching 0.75 inches (2 cm) in length. The leaves are ovate to lanceolate (pointed at both ends) in shape with light serrations along the edges. They are shiny and dark green above lighter underneath sometimes with a touch of red. They are 1-4 inches (3-8 cm) long and can be about half as wide. They are arranged alternately on the branches which tend to be bent or crooked at grow in a tangled mass.
The flowers appear in early spring when the leaves are just beginning to emerge or even before. They consist of five petals in a rosette surrounding a ring of long stalked yellow anthers with a single central pistil. Flowers are about 2 inches (5cm) in diameter and may be borne singly or in clusters along the branches, often in huge quantities that cover the bush. In most quince varieties these are red but 'Toyo-Nishiki' flowers are a rare combination of red, white and pink flowers, sometimes with all three colors on the same flower.
Flowers are followed by larger hard but fleshy fruits. These can reach the size of a apple - about 4- 5 inches (10-12cm) in diameter although they are smaller in younger bushes. Fruits are usually yellow or golden yellow in color and speckled with small dots. They ripen in early to mid autumn/fall and are very fragrant with a perfume like aroma. Fruits are more likely to be prolific in colder temperatures as they appear to require a period of cold for stimulation of flower buds and fruit set. Hardy from zones 4 - 8.

These seeds are easy to grow but do need a little special treatment. They have to be cold stratified before they will germinate. All our seeds are kept in cold conditions so part of the job is already done for you. But there is a little more you need to do.

As soon as your seeds arrive place them in the refridgerator. Then choose a small plastic container with a snap on lid, those found in supermarkets to hold food leftovers are ideal. Place some sterile seeding mix in the base of the container and very slightly moisten it. Place the seeds on the seeding mix, add a very light covering of more mix then snap on the lid. Label the container and place it in your refridgerator for 30 days.

Once this period is complete remove the container and sow seeds in small individual pots, water lightly,. Keep them moist and place in a warm but not hot location. Do not place on a heat pad! Seedlings usually germinate within about 30 days but some can be more stubborn and take up to 90 days or more. Sowing in individual pots or 2 per pot ensures that the un-germinated seeds are not disturbed if their counterparts are transplanted out.

Grow seedlings on, place outside in shaded area to begin until seedlings are 6 inches (15cm) tall. gradually introduce seedlings to bright sunlight before they are transplanted to their final location.

Choose your location with care as Quince puts down deep roots and does not transplant well once established. Digging out a quince usually leaves root sections behind which may regrow but older shrubs often suffer and die from being moved.
Decide before you plant why you have this shrub. How you treat it will depend on if you want it for fruit production or just to enjoy the beautiful flowers.

Soil. Quince prefers a well drained soil that is slightly acidic. While it will grow in other soil types the best flowering will be had if soils are acidic. A mulch of pine needles can be used to increase acidity if your soil is too alkaline. Prefers a well drained soil but one that does hold moisture. Cannot tolerate wet soils so heavy clay may be an issue if not amended with compost. Will adapt to many soil types but not waterlogged but may not perform as well with flowers and fruit. Fairly salt tolerant and can grow in shore communities or along roadsides that receive winter salt spray.

Water. Once established quince is fairly drought tolerant but it will require water on a regular basis until this occurs. Sandy and loam soils will need more water. Additional water will be required if the plants are being grow for their fruits. A soaker hose along the base is recommended to supply supplemental water if rainfall is not sufficient.

Light. While most sources state that full sun is important, it is going to depend on your zone. For cooler more northern zones where light levels are lower estimated 7a and above then full sun is the best choice. In warmer zones some shade from noonday sun is recommended. The is a tough hardy plant but its native lands are not too hot and bright so its important to mimic its 'home' as much as possible. So light shade in warmer zones will help protect it from high heat and sunshine.
Plants will grow in shade in most locations. I have seen this growing in full shade but shrubs tent to be smaller, flower less and dont produce large fruits.
At the top of its range spring buds are often damaged by cold so mulching around bushes or even covering with coniferous boughs or burlap is suggested until early spring arrives.

Feeding. If just enjoying the flowers feeding is not for the most part needed. A dressing of compost during the summer or chopped up leaves in fall will help keep the weeds down along with feeding the plant. If growing for fruit production then a regular light feeding throughout the summer to encourage larger fruits is suggested.

Pruning. This plant will sucker from the base and form small thickets. If this habit is not required then cut them back. Plants bloom on old growth so prune sparingly after flowering to remove diseased or broken branches and lightly shape. Over pruning will reduce fruit production for the current year.
The natural habit of quince is to form a pretty much impenetrable thicket of branches giving it a messy look when no leaves are present. If just grown for the flowers this is not an issue but for fruit production its a nightmare. It becomes impossible to reach in and pick the fruits.
If growing for fruit production it is strongly recommend that the plants be pruned hard and grown on a trellis. This allows the plants to be wired into rows and makes access to the fruits easy to achieve without ripping hands to shreds.
Pruning out some of the branches on shrubs just for flowers is suggested to keep the shrub more easy to manage and to help remove weeds that may grow up inside the thicket and are then impossible to reach.
In all cases begin pruning when the plants are young and prune yearly to ensure that they keep their shape. This plant flowers and fruits on old wood so check to ensure that much old wood remains or fruit production with suffer. It takes a little practice but once learned its easy to keep these shrubs in good order and easy to harvest.

They are prickly with long thorns, deer and other browsing animals usually dont eat them. As with all cases they will if there is nothing else to eat. Rabbits may den under the shrub as its mess of branches make it a safe place to raise their young. For the same reason if the shrubs are tall enough birds will nest in them.
Flowers offer nectar and pollen early in the year making it a good source for early insects and pollinators.
If grown on a trellis for ease of fruit picking wildlife can also do so. Plants will need protection or deer and other animals may eat the fruits.

Harvest fruits in early to mid autumn/fall as the leaves are falling from the plant. Fruits are not usually attacked by insects but check as fruits develops and harvest earlier of signs of attack are seen.
In colder climates they can be left on the shrub until the weather becomes very cold (if they are protected from browsing animals). Fruits then become much softer and can be squeezed like lemons.

Quince fruits are wonderful. The are highly fragrant but even when ripe they are fairly hard and not usually eaten raw. The do however make really excellent preserves that can then be used in a wide range of different culinary dishes. Quince chicken is really really nice! Fruits contain very high levels of pectin and jams will set much sooner than usually expected.
In Japan they are used to make a very interesting liquor.
Softer fruits kept for squeezing can be used in place of lemons, but of course dont taste the same.
Take care not to consume too much quince product at one time it can have a binding effect on the digestive system.

Most commonly used as a tincture but it can be used in the jam/jelly form too. In reasonably quantities quince can have a binding effect on the digestive system so is excellent for treating diarrhea, nausea and other digestive issues. The fruits is very anti inflammatory and astringent and in tincture for is used to treat , joint pains, muscle issues, seasonal respiratory issues, cholera and associated cramps.
research has shown it contains very high levels of vitamin C as well as many other biologically active compounds that can help in the healing process of diabetes, tumors, allergies and liver diseases. It may also promote the growth of beneficial intestinal microflora and contribute to the regulation of body weight

Cut branches with swollen flower buds may be forced indoors, making a welcomed winter flower arrangement. It is also favored for use in training for a bonsai plant.

Japanese Quince, Chinese Quince, Flowering Quince, Toyo-Nichiki Quince, Toyo-Nishiki Flowering Quince

Chaenomeles lagenaria, Cydonia lagenaria, Cydonia speciosa.