Leaf
ChloéM, Tela Botanica · CC BY-SA 2.0
Japanese quince
Chaenomeles japonica (Thunb.) Lindl. ex Spach
Also known as: Japonica, Maule's quince
Family: Rosaceae
0.5 to 1 m tall, spreading and spiny habit
Widely planted in hedges and borders
Flowering: March – April, often before the leaves
Full sun
Part shade
Very hardy, to -20°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
Bright orange-red flowers directly on the bare twigs, well before other shrubs.
🍃 Leaves
Ovate, finely toothed, glossy
🌸 Flowers
Bright orange-red, appearing on bare wood
🍎 Fruits
Small yellow to yellow-green fruits, often 3 to 5 cm, very hard and very sour, resembling small quinces.
🪵 Bark
Brown-grey, twigs often spiny
🗺️ Distribution
Japan; widely grown as an ornamental in France, not wild.
🐝 Value for pollinators
Very early flowering (end of winter), one of the first sources of nectar for bees.
✂️ Horticultural uses
Planted in flowering hedges or borders for its early orange-red flowers.
⚠️ Possible toxicity
No known toxicity; fruits edible when cooked, very sour.
🌿 Other Rosaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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