From the Greek word chainein , meaning to split and malea , translating to apple, for its apple-blossom shaped flowers. Flowering Quinces are deciduous shrubs in the rose family from Asia. They are one of the first shrubs to bloom in late winter to early spring. The showy flowers come in shades of pink, red and white and usually appear before the foliage. Blooming occurs on old growth so prune sparingly. Cutting off the oldest stems near the ground will encourage new shoot to develop, leading to a more dense appearance. Depending on the species, they can grow anywhere from 2 to 6 feet tall. They may have thorns. Quinces prefer full sun to partial shade in moist well-drained loams but are tolerant of a variety of soil types. Best blooming occurs in full sun. They are drought tolerant once established. Use as a specimen, in hedges, as a foundation plant or a shrub border. Deer will sometimes browse the shrub. Its thorny stems make this plant a great choice as a border or security barrier to prevent intruders. Taking some cuttings in late winter and forcing to flower indoors will bring some color to the dreary winter months. Fruits are produced when both male and female plants are available. The fruits are fragrant, said to have the scent of pineapples, lemons and vanilla. They can be used for making preserves. Juices from the fruits has been used as a lemon substitute. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Aphids are an issue, as well as fire blight and apple scab.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Fills a similar nicheBerberis thunbergii 'Atropurpurea'Chaenomeles speciosa Double Take™ Peach 'NCCS4'Salvia rosmarinus
Full plant profile
Growing Conditions
Plant type
Shrub
Life cycle
Woody
USDA zones
5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
12 inches-3 feet; 3 feet-6 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in. | Width: 4 ft. 0 in. - 5 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low; Medium
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect; Spreading
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Ovate
Leaf margin
Crenate; Serrate
Leaf feel
Glossy
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Alternate, simple, lustrous, dark green leaves; 1-2 in. long
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; Orange; Red/Burgundy; White
Flower value
Fragrant; Good Cut; Long-lasting; Showy
Flower form
Head
Flower shape
Cup
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
Orange-red, scarlet, white or red flowers in spring that can be solitary or in clusters, and single or double.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Gold/Yellow; Green
Fruit value
Edible; Fragrant
Fruit size
1-3 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Fruit detail
The 2 inch, hard, pear-shaped greenish-yellow fruits ripen in the early fall. The bitter tasting fruits are not typically eaten off the shrub, but are used in the preparation of preserves and jelly.
Stem detail
The stems are a spreading, interlacing network of thorny stems.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Asia, China and Japan
Wildlife value
Bees are attracted to the flowers
Attracts
Bees; Pollinators
Play value
Attractive Flowers; Colorful; Easy to Grow; Fragrance; Screening
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Fruit
Harvest time
Fall
Edibility
The fruits are bitter but can be used in preserves.
Uses (ethnobotany)
A multipurpose shrub that can be used in beds, borders, as hedges and screening.