Chaenomeles speciosa Mango Storm - Flowering Quince

The Japanese quince or Chaenomeles speciosa 'Mango Storm' is a new and brilliant variety, displaying very large double camellia flowers, in a pretty salmon-orange coral colour, revealing a golden heart. They bloom in the garden from the first beautiful days, on still bare branches, devoid of thorns, transforming this dense and somewhat stiff bush into a flamboyant bouquet. Its deciduous foliage develops after flowering. This very hardy and drought-resistant, once established, variety does not produce fruit. It is an easy-to-grow bush, more floriferous in the sun, ideal in a loose hedge, at the back of a bed, or trained against a wall.

The 'Mango Storm' Japanese quince comes from Chaenomeles speciosa, a thorny bush native to China and belonging to the Rosaceae family. This variety was recently bred in North Carolina, United States, and differs from the typical species by its more modest growth, thornless branches, and fabulous flowering that is not followed by fruit formation. This dense bush will form a rounded bush about 1m (3-4ft) high and wide. Its flowering period extends from April to May, for about 3 to 4 weeks. The very large and very fragrant flowers, 5 to 6cm (2.4in) in diameter, are composed of numerous petals that overlap a bit like those of some roses. Then the flower opens up and reveals a yellow stamen centre. The flowers are carried by very short pedicels in groups of 3 to 5 on the previous year's branches. The leaves develop after the flowers; they are narrow to lanceolate, 3-9cm (1.2 - 3.5in) long and 1.5 to 5cm (2in) wide, with a beautiful shiny dark green colour on their upper surface. 'Mango Storm', raised and tested in the difficult conditions found in the Appalachian Mountains, proves to be particularly hardy and drought-tolerant.

Japanese quinces, like Forsythias and Japanese kerrias, bring us flowers beautiful in their simplicity, so eagerly awaited after a long winter. They are comfortable in all climates, as they are not sensitive to heat or cold. They can be cultivated both as standalone specimens and in beds. The 'Mango Storm' variety can also be used in hedges, alongside fragrant shrubs such as winter honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima) that flower before it, and white lilacs that take over after, then buddleias. This small bush can also be used as a ground cover on a slope, alongside ground cover roses, creeping ceanothus, or rosemary, for example. It can also be trained against a wall, near the house, paired with a winter jasmine, to be enjoyed when passing.