Pin Cherry vs Japanese Quince - TreeTime.ca

Pin Cherry vs Japanese Quince

Prunus pensylvanica

Chaenomeles japonica

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Pin Cherry
Japanese Quince

Pin Cherry is a small tree that produces clusters of white blossoms in spring followed by bright red berries that ripen through the summer. The attractive red color of the leaves in the fall is an added bonus.

The fruit is quite sour when eaten fresh but is excellent when cooked into jam or jelly. Birds love the berries and will be attracted to your property.

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.

Pin Cherry Quick Facts

Japanese Quince Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 5a
Height: 9 m (30 ft)
Height: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 5 m (16 ft)
Spread: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: medium
Life span: short
Life span: medium
Suckering: low
Suckering: medium
Maintenance: medium


Fall colour: very bright orangish-red
Bark: reddish brown bark has an attractive appearance in the winter
Flowers: white
Flowers: showy, red-orange
Fruit: clusters of edible, red cherries often used for jams and jellies
Fruit: greenish yellow
Berries: clusters of edible, red cherries often used for jams and jellies
Flavor: bitter
Harvest: fall
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, NT, PE
Other Names: bird cherry, fire cherry, pincherry, red cherry, wild red cherry
Other Names: flowering quince, maules quince