Black Locust vs Japanese Quince - TreeTime.ca

Black Locust vs Japanese Quince

Chaenomeles japonica

Robinia pseudoacacia

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2025)

Japanese Quince
Black Locust

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.

Black Locust is an attractive tree. Its distinctive leaves are made of about a dozen bright green leaflets. It also notable for its fragrant white flowers, which smell of citrus.

Black Locust can grow in many situations, but prefers dry areas with lots of sun. It is robust and is an excellent choice for establishing shade in dry, open areas.

Important note: Much of the Black Locust is toxic to humans and livestock, including seeds, bark, and leaves.

Japanese Quince Quick Facts

Black Locust Quick Facts

Zone: 5a
Zone: 3a
Height: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Height: 12 m (40 ft)
Spread: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Spread: 8 m (25 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: full sun
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: fast
Life span: medium
Life span: long
Suckering: medium
Suckering: high


Bark: dark reddish brown to balck with furrows
Flowers: showy, red-orange
Flowers: Creamy white flowers in a pyramidal shape bloom in may-june
Fruit: greenish yellow
Flavor: bitter
Harvest: fall
Seeds: dark brown peapod-like pods
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Other Names: flowering quince, maules quince
Other Names: false acacia, yellow locust