Chaenomeles japonica Cido - Flowering Quince

Chaenomeles japonica 'Cido' is a variety of Japanese quince that is both ornamental and fruit-bearing, first attracting attention with its long spring flowering of a beautiful light red-orange colour, and then with its round and fragrant fruits that are harvested when ripe, from late August to October. The size of its quinces, their golden yellow colour, and their tangy flesh rich in vitamin C, have earned this bush the nickname Northern Lemon. Harvesting the fruits is made easier by its almost thornless branches. Its pleasantly fragrant fruits can be consumed cooked, in compotes, jellies, jams, and tagines. Very cold-resistant and undemanding, 'Cido' thrives in good garden soil without excess limestone and in a sunny or semi-shaded exposure.

Chaenomeles japonica belongs to the Rosaceae family, just like apple trees and pear trees. This bush is native, as its name suggests, to Japan. The 'Cido' cultivar was selected in Latvia, where it is now grown on a large scale for fruit production. Its foliage is deciduous, appearing in spring and falling in autumn.

This relatively fast-growing shrub with a bushy habit, spreads by shoots from its stump and often forms somewhat tangled, irregular, and almost thornless branches. It will reach maturity at an average of 1.25m (4ft) in all directions, depending on the growing conditions. Flowering takes place in April-May in average climates. When the winter is mild, it can start as early as March, before the leaves appear. The flowers bloom for 4 to 6 weeks, first on bare branches, then among the young leaves. They are 3cm (1in) wide, with slightly open cups and 5 petals, with a light coral colour that is intermediate between light red and orange. They are grouped in small clusters of 3 or 4, and are borne on very short or even absent pedicels, on the previous year's branches. After pollination by bees and other insects, they give way to round fruits, 6 to 7cm (2 to 3in) in diameter, turning yellow by the end of summer. These fruits, sometimes beautifully tinged with orange, are consumed cooked. They have an aromatic, flavourful, and tangy flesh, with a higher vitamin C content than lemons. The leaves are entire, ovate to lanceolate, 3 to 6 cm (1 to 2in) long and 1.5 to 3cm (1in) wide, with a beautiful shiny green colour on their upper surface.

Japanese quinces, like Forsythias, Abeliophyllum, and Japanese kerrias, are among the first to provide beautiful spring flowers, so eagerly awaited after a long winter. This Japanese quince is a rewarding bush. It is easy to grow, decorative, and delicious. Space-saving, it can find its place even in small gardens, or in a container on a terrace or balcony. Comfortable in all climates, not fearing heat or cold, it can be planted both as a standalone specimen and in a border, and of course in a country hedge. For example, plant it with a winter honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima). To save space, its branches can also be trained against a wall, on a wire frame, accompanied by a winter jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum). Its still bare but bud-filled branches are perfect for bouquets in a tall vase.