Chaenomeles japonica
| Chaenomeles japonica | |
| Light: |    |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 5 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 3' |
| Width: | 7' |
| Blooms: | Mid Spring |
| Open Woods Forest | |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Chaenomeles japonica (common name: dwarf quince)
Propagation: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a sheltered position outdoors or in a cold frame[1]. Sow stored seed in February in a greenhouse[2]. Germination usually takes place within 6 weeks[2]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle. If well grown, these seedling can be large enough to plant out in the summer, but give them some protection in their first winter. Otherwise plant them out in late spring of the following year[K].
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame[3]. Easy[4].
Cuttings of mature wood of the current year's growth, November in a cold frame.
Layering in late spring or in autumn. This is a sure and easy method, though it takes 12 months[2][1].
Division of suckers in late winter[4]. They can be planted out straight into their permanent positions.
Cultivation: Easily cultivated in any reasonably good soil[5]. Prefers a deep moist well-drained loam[6][3]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Tolerates full shade but requires a sunny position for best fruit production[7][3][1]. Becomes chlorotic on very alkaline soils[1]. Tolerates atmospheric pollution[1].
A very ornamental plant[5], it is hardy to about -25°c[1] and fruits freely in Britain[3].
Plants are occasionally cultivated for their edible fruit[8].
This species is closely allied to C. speciosa[3].
A good bee plant, flowering early in the year and providing pollen and nectar[9].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[1].
Range: E. Asia - Japan
Habitat: Woods in low mountains, C. and S. Japan[10].
Edibility: Fruit - raw or cooked[11][7][6][3][12][8]. Very harsh and acid raw but fragrant when cooked, imparting a strong pleasant flavour to jams and jellies[5][1], it is especially good cooked with apples in apple pies[K]. The fruit is apple-shaped and about 4cm in diameter[1].
The rich aromatic juice, as tart as a lemon, is squeezed and used for culinary purposes[8].
Usage: Plants sucker freely and can be used as a ground cover. The form C. japonica alpina grows to about half the size of the species, it is especially suitable and can be planted about 1 metre apart each way[13].
Pollinators: Bees
Notes: We could supply this in the next catalogue.
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Pollution: Tolerates environmental pollution.
Seed Ripens: Late Fall-Mid Winter
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Heavy Clay: Grows in heavy-clay soils.
Also Known As: C. maulei. Cydonia japonica. Cydonia maulei. Pyrus japonica. non Sims. P. maulei.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Sheat, Wilfrid. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. St Martin, 1948.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Dirr, Michael and Charles Heuser. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press, 1987.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Grieve, Margaret. A Modern Herbal. Penguin, 1984.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Simmons, Alan. Growing Unusual Fruit. David and Charles, 1972.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ International Bee Research Association. Garden Plants Valuable to Bees. International Bee Research Association, 1981.
- ↑ Ohwi, Jisaburo. Flora of Japan. Smithsonian Institution, 1965.
- ↑ Hedrick, Ulysses. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications, 1972.
- ↑ Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.
- ↑ Thomas, Graham. Plants for Ground Cover. Everyman, 1990.