2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Japanese quince is widely cultivated in botanical gardens in Europe, America, and now in Russia. This densely leafy shrub is often used in landscaping and gardening. The height of the plant depends on the characteristics of the variety, the average size of the quince bush is 1 meter
Botanical description
Japanese quince or chaenomeles refers to a small genus of deciduous or semi-evergreen flowering plants of the Rose family. In Japan and China, representatives of this genus grow wild. Chaenomeles is a fruit and berry shrub with oblique arcuate shoots and densely arranged shiny leaves. Young leaves are bronze in color, adult leaves take on a dark green color, the arrangement of the leaves is alternate, serrate or crenate-toothed shape, have petioles up to 2 cm in length. The roots of the plant are located in the surface layer of the soil and have a fibrous system.
The structure of flowers can be simple and double, the arrangement of flowers on the branches of the bush is chaotic. In the temperate zones of Russia, Japanese quince blooms before the leaves bloom, back in May. The flowers are large enough, up to 5 cm in diameter. The opening of the buds is not simultaneous, so the flowering time lasts 3 - 4 weeks. It is impossible to take your eyes off the flowering shrub; it will delight you with bright red, orange, pink or white flowers. The shade of the flower depends on the type of plant. Chaenomeles, which is grown from seeds, begins to bloom at 3 - 4 years of development.
The fruits are large and varied in shape, resembling a pear or apple. They have a smooth or ribbed surface, diameter 3 - 6 cm, weight varies from 20 to 150 g. Under the green or bright orange, lemon peel there is a pulp with brown seeds. Outside, the fruits are covered with a waxy coating, which protects them from damage. Edible fruits ripen closer to frost, at the end of September, taste like pineapple.
Growing
Japanese quince grows slowly, the growth per year is 3 - 5 cm. The shrub is photophilous and prefers sunny areas of the garden, with shading they bear fruit worse. The plant is not demanding on the mechanical composition of the soil, however, preference is given to fertile lands, rich in humus. Do not plant quince shrubs where water stagnates. Chaenomeles tolerates winters with little snow, but in severe frosts, the ends of the shoots can be damaged. Reproduction takes place using seeds, green and root cuttings, root suckers, layering and dividing the bush.
Caring for Japanese quince is simple and consists in weeding, dressing, loosening the soil and moderate watering. When mulching the soil, agricultural practices are minimized. In favorable conditions, the Japanese quince lives up to 80 years. Pests are not afraid of this shrub and therefore it does not need chemical protection.
The main factor for flowering and abundant fruiting is pruning, which begins at the age of five of the plant. In early spring, dry, damaged, underdeveloped branches are cut out from adult shrubs. A properly pruned Japanese quince shrub should consist of 15 to 25 stems from different years of life. Chaenomeles bushes thicken without pruning, bloom poorly. Prune long branches regularly to stimulate the development of lateral stems where flower buds form.
Application
Fragrant, tasty quince fruits are used for compotes, jam, jelly. The quince is harvested before the onset of frost, after three months of storage at a low positive temperature, the taste improves, initially in its raw form, the taste of the fruit is sour.
The chaenomeles shrub is beautiful and decorative, it is successfully used to create hedges, single, group, border and border plantings, perfect for a rock garden and rocky slopes.
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