2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Japanese quince (lat. Chaenomeles japonica) - a fruit plant belonging to the Pink family.
Description
Japanese quince is a deciduous shrub not exceeding three meters in height. Her young twigs are always green, and later they acquire a characteristic blackish-brown color. And if initially they are scaly-felt, then as they grow up, the branches become naked. However, the black buds of the Japanese quince are also always naked.
The leaves of this plant are usually spatulate or obovate, while their width ranges from two to three centimeters, and their length can vary from three to five centimeters. All leaflets are characterized by obtuse-toothed margins and taper towards the bases. And the length of the naked petioles reaches five millimeters. As for the stipules, they are serrated and bean-shaped in the Japanese quince.
The color range of flowers starts from pink and ends in bright orange-reddish tones, and the diameter of the flowers is from three to four centimeters. Almost rounded or ovoid sepals have a rather interesting brownish pubescence on the inner sides, which falls off during fruiting. The petals of the flowers have the same shape as the sepals, and the length of the pistils grown together near the bases does not exceed the length of the stamens, of which these attractive flowers have from four to six dozen.
The fruits are almost spherical yellow apples reaching four centimeters in diameter, each of which includes a huge number of brownish seeds that look like apple seeds. And on the outside, each fruit is covered with a characteristic waxy coating, which reliably protects them from damage. Thanks to the same bloom, these fruits are able to tolerate minor frosts.
By the way, the edible fruits of the Japanese quince are quite tough, so jam from them is cooked much less often than from oblong quince.
Where grows
The birthplace of this culture, as the name suggests, is Japan. True, at present it is very actively grown in Europe and China.
Growing and caring
The cultivation of this culture is not particularly difficult. It is important to bear in mind that this beauty prefers well-lit corners. In partial shade, it, of course, will also grow, but it will definitely not work to wait for fruits from it in this case.
This culture will thrive on a wide variety of soils - both wet clay and poor sandy. However, all of them must be enriched with humus and characterized by moderate humidity. But calcareous or saline soils are best avoided.
Almost all varieties of Japanese quince can boast of impressive frost resistance, so they can easily winter without shelter. True, if the winter turns out to be with little snow and rather harsh, annual shoots and vulnerable flower buds can freeze quite a bit. That is why it is best to place trees in areas where sufficient snow covers are formed. And in areas with especially harsh winters, it will not hurt to cover trees with pre-prepared spruce branches or fallen leaves.
Young trees are usually planted in the spring, as soon as the soil thaws. If you want to plant them in the fall, then it is best to do this during the period of massive leaf fall. However, even in this case, this plant may simply not take root before the onset of frost and die. By the way, two-year-old seedlings can boast of the best survival rate.
In the first year of the Japanese quince, it is necessary to ensure regular watering. In general, caring for it is quite simple and not burdensome - it consists mainly in systematic pruning and fertilization.
