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| Chaenomeles |
Quince is only pretty in the spring. (Of course, that's my opinion, not the quince's.) Otherwise, it's just another deciduous shrub. So, I've placed it in front of the pavonia where it will be the star of the spring garden, but a nice (and mostly forgotten) backdrop to pavonia's summer blooms.
There are several different species of Chaenomeles. There's Chaenomeles speciosa, Chaenomeles japonica, and Chaenomeles cathayensis. You can get a quince that stays a small shrub or grows as tall as a tree. There are even cultivars that grow as low as 12".
This quince was labeled "Red Flowering Quince, Chaenomeles japonica". Chaenomeles japonica grows in zones 5 through 9, reaches about 4 ft tall, with a spread of 6 to 8 ft. Drought tolerant.
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| Look closely and you can see its thorn - far right, halfway up |
Since mine was labeled "Red Flowering Quince", but blooms pink instead, was it mislabeled? Time will tell. But I think the label was right. I've read that some quince will bloom white, pink and red all on one plant, or bloom a different color in different years.
If it starts blooming red, I'll still love it. But I still think it's prettiest in pink.
Very pretty pale pink flowers. I'm not too familiar with Quince, was it just the tone of the red that you didn't care for?
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure why I didn't like the red, because I usually do. Maybe because most of my spring blooms are softer in color, and the brighter colors come later.
DeleteQuince is one I hadn't planted either, although I really like them in blooms. I had so much room and just hadn't gotten one before I ran out of room for the big shrubs. It will be interesting to see what yours does this year.
ReplyDeleteCher Sunray Gardens
These are this year's pictures. I was quite anxious to see if it was going to retain its pink blooms, or revert to red, and was relieved when it bloomed pink again. I guess it'll be a fun game to see what color it is every year!
DeleteThose have to be the loveliest quince blooms I've seen yet! So delicate. Most cultivars I've seen have had a more "coarse" appearance. Where I am (zone 5), the outer buds get frost damage and the bushes usually only flower inside, so you have to poke your head through the thorns (ouch!) to actually see them. I'll just have to enjoy yours via the computer...
ReplyDeleteI really like the delicate coloring, too. What a waste to have the plant blooming where you can't see it! Sounds painful, too!
DeleteFlowering quince is on my short list. This pink is lovely, but I think the red suits my garden better . ..
ReplyDeleteThen I hope you get your flowering quince in red. And if mine starts flowering in red, I'll still love it. After all, it's in my red and yellow bed!
DeleteI love the pink blooms and it does shout spring.
ReplyDeleteI think so, too. I think of pastel colors in spring - maybe because those are Easter colors!
DeleteI tend to prefer pastels in spring, too--it's the only chance they get to shine before the sun gains strength and drowns the paler colors out. Your quince is just the right color for these pleasant early days. The redder ones always remind me of my mother's lipstick for some reason (a shade that I like, but mostly on her). Are the japonica types fruit-bearing? If so, we will look forward to tales of jam later this summer... (No pressure or anything.)
ReplyDeleteYou're exactly right where the light is harsh - bright colors work better in that kind of light, but at this time of year, the sun is still soft enough for the pastels to be seen. I do think they will bear fruit, but I know nothing about the fruit. I guess I'll have to learn!
DeleteVery pretty - such a delicate color! I love quince, but hate thorns, so I haven't gotten any. I've seen some very pretty white quince in the past that would work well with any color scheme - a little better than some of those bright salmon reds!
ReplyDeleteI didn't realize quince came in such colors until I started researching them. I think the white ones would be very pretty, but I don't think I've ever seen one in person. Unless I saw one and didn't realize what is was!
DeleteOh this is BEAUTIFUL!!! I've just recently been looking at Quinces and thinking perhaps I should get one ... :)
ReplyDeleteOh, you should! I think we gardeners need everything we see! ;)
DeleteI love it that your garden's main color scheme is yellow, red and orange. I’m also very fond of those colors. It seems so many gardeners only like pastels. Here is a BIG high five to the HOT colors!
ReplyDeleteI dream of a pastel, romantic garden. But my husband loves red, I love orange, and yellow just goes well with those two. And those hot colors go so much better, I think, with our hot summers. The pastel colors just get washed out in the glare of our sun.
DeleteThe pale pink is very pretty. Mine (usually hot pink but sometimes red) was only that pale when I cut a branch to force inside. I think that's why I actually wanted one originally, to cut for indoors, but I have such a hard time convincing myself to actually do it because I enjoy the blooms outdoors so much.
ReplyDeleteInteresting. We have had a lot of rain this winter - do you think the extra water may have had some effect on its bloom color? I hardly ever cut things for indoor, either. Like you, I'd rather have the bloom outdoors!
DeleteYour quince is such a pretty color. I have a few quince shrubs in the yard that were planted by my mother-in-law. They are the coral color. I love quince in the spring when they are blooming, but mine look straggly for the rest of the year. My husband dug up some of them and transplanted them to another area of the yard. I hope they survive the move!
ReplyDeleteI don't think this is a very pretty shrub when not in bloom, but it really is pretty in spring when blooms are scarce! I hope yours survive. I bet they will. I think this is a pretty tough shrub. Mine survived last year's drought, and I was surprised about that!
DeletePretty in Pink is right, Holley... Love your PINKS... Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend.
Hugs,
Betsy
I do love pink flowers. Even though I have a lot of hot colors, I do think pink flowers are sweet and adorable.
DeleteHi Holley, it looks like you might have got yourself an 'Apple Blossom', it grows to 2.5m height and 4m spread eventually...but you can prune it after fruit harvest if you want to keep it in check and prevent it from going straggly. There are many pink Chaenomeles, I have been thinking of buying 'Geisha Girl', gorgeous flowers too. I already have 'Crimson and Gold', which has deep red flowers, but I love red flowers, on whatever plant :-)
ReplyDeleteOh, thanks for the names. I guess I'll just have to wait and see, since it wasn't labeled as anything special. I knew there were different cultivars, but hadn't really looked into all of them. Thanks for the additional information.
DeleteBeautiful form and color! The peachy/pinky/white blooms remind me of Victorian times--like they'd be lovely blossoms on a Valentine's card or a letter to a special friend. Do they have a nice scent, too?
ReplyDeleteI had to go outside and smell it. No, no scent that I could detect.
DeleteWhat a beautiful quince! I've not seen one like it with such a nice blush of pink. I bet it will stay that way too. Sounds like you found a perfect spot for it. Now I need to go check you pavonia post. Never heard of that.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't noticed one pink before, and hope it stays pink through the years. Pavonia is a fabulous plant! I picked it up on a whim, and have loved it ever since.
DeleteVery beautiful and that is quite a thorn. It makes the hair on my arms rise just thinking about getting stuck with that; I scratch my arms up like crazy from my roses.
ReplyDeleteThat thorn is scary, isn't it? It means business! :)
DeleteOh imagine it, pink and white and red all on one shrub? Sounds gorgeous! That thorn is another story though... I've learned to watch out for rose thorns, but the lemon tree has wicked sharp ones and they often get me!
ReplyDeleteIt would be fun to see, but I hope mine just stays pink. I have learned to love my mostly thornless roses more and more as the years go by, and my arms get more and more scratched!
Deletethat would be amazing to have it bloom all 3 colors...it is a beautiful plant
ReplyDeleteWell, if it ever reverts to different colors, I'll be sure to take a picture and post it!
DeleteI like yours it reminds me of apple blossom. I inherited mine with the garden, at first I thought it was a thorny bush with haphazard branches - but it flowers (salmon pink) right through winter and I made jam from the fruit. It's in my top five garden plants.
ReplyDeleteThey really aren't a very pretty bush without the blooms. I'll have to look for the fruit - I'd love to make jam from it!
DeleteI had no idea quince had thorns. That would have made me re-think it as well but I do think they are beautiful plants.
ReplyDeleteAnd not just thorns. BIG thorns! ;0
DeleteI love the soft pastel pink of your quince! My own ancient quince shrubs were here when I moved in and are red orange. They have been an acquired taste. The fruit is another matter! They are the most sour fruit I have ever tasted; I think more sour than lemons. Talk about pucker power! They taste just like a candy my son once gave me called an 'atomic warhead'.
ReplyDeleteI guess anything that blooms now, no matter the color, we should be happy to see. I have always wondered about the taste of the fruit. I hope mine sets fruit this year so I can give it a try.
DeleteYour quince is lovely. I know what you mean about red-flowered quince. However, I have 'Texas Scarlet' which is misnamed unless I got the wrong plant because it is a gorgeous deep coral color. I am thinking of branching out to it's cream colored sister plant 'Jet (something)' this spring.
ReplyDeleteThe coral color does sound nice, and the cream colored plant sounds beautiful!
DeleteIt's very nice. Do they produce fruits? It seems to me that there are fruits called quince or am I confusing it with something else? You guys get lots of not-so-common fruits/flowers/plants. Here it's everything same - daffodils, tulips, irises, roses, hydrangea, etc, etc...
ReplyDeleteThey are supposed to produce fruit. I didn't look for it last year, but this year I'm going to be looking for it!
DeleteI had noticed "something" blooming at a house for weeks now. Got my nerve up, rang the bell and inquired. Homeowner didn't know; was there when they purchased home one year ago. He offered to let me cut a piece, so I did and "big box" store couldn't ID. Indepedent jursery did and it was "Flowering Quince" which they had in 2 variations of pink. What would be the smallest size of one of these one might find? Establishing a new garden in sooooooooo expensive.
ReplyDeleteQuestion: I am going to move 2 Turk's Caps. Of course, they died back to the ground. So, can I move them once they start to bloom? Or, should I have done that in the fall?
Thank you!
I've never seen these in little pots, so, yes, you will probably have to pay big pot size. But, if you like the one your neighbor has, he may let you take a cutting! Just make sure the cutting is 1/4" in diameter, about 3" long, put some rooting powder on it, and put it in a pot with moist soil. Take 3 or 4 cuttings, and at least one will make it, I'm sure. As for the Turk's caps, the time to transplant them is early spring. Try to get as much of the root as possible, and they should transplant well. Good luck!
DeleteI'm in agreement with you about quince -- I'm not crazy about the common red ones either but those pink flowers are lovely!
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts exactly. I don't know why the red ones don't speak to me, but this pink one really makes me smile.
DeleteYou are quite correct the Chaenomeles does only look good in Spring. It is the red one which is in our garden. Time I got over my attachment to reds. Just wait until you see our front garden this Summer you will see what I mean. I am always banging on about cutting back on annuals, och maybe I can get away with it in the front garden.
ReplyDeleteI have an attachment to red, too, so I don't think you should get over yours! I just, for some reason, didn't want a red one of these. Personally, I don't do a lot of annuals. They are gorgeous, and really add to the garden, but they sure are a lot of work!
DeleteNever head about Chaenomeles before but they are really lovely pink flower! You have very large collection of flowering roses! Amazing!
ReplyDeleteI do have a lot of roses, and I'm still adding! :O
DeleteOh, I've only ever seen the bright red ones, I assumed that was the only typical colour. Unless I've seen others and didn't recognise what they were?
ReplyDeleteThat's what I've wondered about myself. I never noticed these in pink before, but I wonder if I just didn't realize what they were. I think I'll be looking a little closer from now on!
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