Western Sand Cherry vs Japanese Quince - TreeTime.ca

Western Sand Cherry vs Japanese Quince

Prunus pumila var besseyi

Chaenomeles japonica

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON

Western Sand Cherry
Japanese Quince

Western Sand Cherry is known for its unique, leathery grey-green foliage and beautiful white blossoms. It is a popular ornamental shrub in parks and front yards. Both you and the wildlife will love its edible small dark red to purple cherries.

Due to its small stature and spreading qualities, Western Sandcherry is suitable as an underplanting or groundcover.

Many people graft plum and cherry varieties to Western Sand Cherry and use it as rootstock. It is also popular to graft hardy apricots to.

Japanese Quince has bright, orange to red showy flowers that bloom in early spring. The flowers appear before the leaves and may continue to bloom after leaves emerge. Flowers grow on old wood, so pruning after flowering will help to promote new growth next spring. They produce yellow-green fruit that taste bitter when eaten raw, typically they are better suited for making preserves.

It can be used as a stand alone ornamental shrub, as a low hedge, or can be trained to grow against a wall. In late winter, branches of Japanese Quince can be cut and brought indoors where they will bloom on their own. They are deer and rabbit tolerant. The branches are spiny making them well suited for keeping unwanted wildlife away.

Note: This species is currently unavailable. Grow your own using Japanese Quince seeds at SeedTime.ca.

Western Sand Cherry Quick Facts

Japanese Quince Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 5a
Height: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Height: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 2.1 m (7 ft)
Spread: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: dry, normal
Light: any
Light: partial shade, full sun
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no
Fall colour: reddish-orange
Berries: small purple cherries
Flavor: bitter
Harvest: fall
Flowers: white
Flowers: showy, red-orange
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: medium
Life span: medium
Life span: medium
Suckering: medium
Suckering: medium




Other Names: flowering quince, maules quince