Plant of the week: Japanese quince

What is it?

Don’t be fooled by the “quince” in the name: Japanese chaenomeles isn’t a tree, it’s a shrub that can be trained as a hedge or wall climber, or left shrub-shaped. The perfumed fruits are round, yellow and hard, and make wonderful jams, jellies, fruit leathers and lemonade. The blossom is captivating, emerging before the leaves and lasting into May.

Any good varieties?

‘Nivalis’ is pure white; ‘Lemon and Lime’ is greenish white, and ‘Moerloosei’ is pink; all will reach at least 2m each way if untrained. If you want a prolific fruiter, forest gardening expert Martin Crawford recommends ‘Crimson and Gold’, which has beautiful crimson flowers and a slightly more compact size (1m x 2m). ‘Simonii’ also has red flowers, but grows to 60cm, so is ideal as a low hedge or ground cover.

Plant it with?

In shadier spots, some hellebores at its feet would look grand. In full sun or part shade, scented tazetta daffodil Narcissus ‘Geranium’ would add perfume.

And where?

Chaenomeles is hardy and tolerant of partial shade. Most reasonably fertile soils will do.

What else does it do?

The flowering boughs look pleasing in a vase.

Any drawbacks?

It’s deciduous, so you’re left with a network of spiny bare branches in winter.