Chinese Quince Plant Care

Chinese Quince (Chaenomeles sinensis) belongs to the Rosaceae family within the Chaenomeles genus. Chinese Quince is native to southern and eastern China. Chinese Quince is also known as Flowering Quince.

Chinese Quince displays a deciduous shrub, spreading habit growth habit, reaching up to 6 ft tall with a spread of approximately 8 ft. Chinese Quince produces showy, cup-shaped flowers in shades of red, pink, or white.

Leaf size: approximately 3 inches.

Water a young or newly planted Chinese Quince every 7–10 days, soaking the whole root zone, until it is established — usually one to two growing seasons. Established trees mainly need water during long dry spells. In a container, water whenever the top few centimetres of soil are dry.

Chinese Quince thrives in full sun to part shade.

Chaenomeles sinensis tolerates temperatures of 0–90°F. Chinese Quince prefers humidity levels of 40–70%.

Well-draining loamy soil with added compost for nutrients. Good drainage is essential for Chinese Quince to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.

Feed Chinese Quince every 6 months during the growing season with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer at the rate on the label. Established trees in good soil often need little extra feeding, so let weak growth or pale foliage guide you.

Stop feeding by late summer so new growth can harden before winter.

The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.

Choose a spot with full sun to part shade and well-draining loamy soil with added compost for nutrients. Avoid low spots where water collects after rain.

Plant container-grown or balled-and-burlapped trees in spring or early autumn, setting the root flare at soil level, and water well after planting.

Chinese Quince can spread to about 8 ft (2.4 m) and reach about 6 ft (2 m) tall. Space plants about 8 ft (2.4 m) apart so mature crowns don't crowd each other, and plant at least half that distance from buildings, fences and paths.

Planning a row or hedge? Try the tree spacing calculator.

Prune Chinese Quince while it is dormant in late winter: first remove dead, damaged and crossing branches, then thin lightly for shape.

If it flowers in spring, prune right after flowering instead so you don't remove next year's buds. Never take off more than about a quarter of the tree in one year.

Water deeply in late autumn before the ground freezes, and spread a 5–8 cm (2–3 in) layer of mulch over the root zone, keeping it away from the trunk.

Young and container-grown trees need extra protection: roots in a pot freeze much more easily than roots in the ground.

Chinese Quince can be propagated through softwood cuttings, hardwood cuttings, seeds. Similar propagation techniques also apply to cathay flowering quince plant care, which shares the same genus.

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Chinese Quince is susceptible to aphids, scale insects, spider mites. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.

Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.