Chaenomeles speciosa ‘Toyo-Nishiki’

Chaenomeles speciosa, commonly called flowering quince, is a dense, broad-rounded, deciduous shrub with often-tangled, spiny, gray-brown twigs. It typically grows to 6-10’ tall and as wide. It is native to China, Tibet and Myanmar (Burma). Five-petaled flowers (to 2” diameter) bloom before the leaves fully unfold in an often showy early spring bloom. Flowers are followed by hard, dot-speckled, edible, yellowish-green fruits (2.5” quinces) that are rather bitter when eaten fresh from the shrub, but quite tasty in preserves and jellies.  ‘Toyo-Nashiki’ is noted for bearing flowers of different colors (pinks, reds and whites) on the same branches. Interesting color variations also may occur on the same flower. (Courtesy of Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder)