Chaenomeles japonica | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
(unranked): | Angiosperms |
(unranked): | Eudicots |
(unranked): | Rosids |
Order: | Rosales |
Family: | Rosaceae |
Genus: | Chaenomeles |
Species: | C. japonica |
Binomial name | |
Chaenomeles japonica (Thunb.) Lindl. ex Spach |
Chaenomeles japonica, known as Maule's quince, is a species of flowering quince. It is a thorny deciduous shrub that is commonly cultivated. It is shorter than another commonly cultivated species C. speciosa, growing to only about 1 m in height. The fruit is called Kusa-boke (草木瓜 Kusa-boke?) in Japanese. It is best known for its colorful spring flowers of red, white, pink or multi. It produces apple-shaped fruit that are a golden-yellow color containing red-brown seeds. The fruit is edible, but hard and astringent-tasting, unless bletted. The fruit is occasionally used in jam, jelly and pie making as a substitute for its cousin, the true quince, Cydonia oblonga. C. japonica is also popularly grown in bonsai.
Flowers
Fruit