American Mountain Ash vs Japanese Quince - TreeTime.ca

American Mountain Ash vs Japanese Quince

Sorbus americana

Chaenomeles japonica

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

(new stock expected: fall of 2027)

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

American Mountain Ash
Japanese Quince

American Mountain ash is a beautiful, medium-sized ornamental tree that is ideal for residential lots. Mountain Ash blooms with tiny white flowers in the spring, followed by clusters of small red/orange berries in the summer.

American Mountain Ash's berries stay on the tree throughout the winter. This attracts birds and other small wildlife to your landscape as the berries are an important food source during the winter months.

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.

American Mountain Ash Quick Facts

Japanese Quince Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 5a
Height: 10 m (32 ft)
Height: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 6 m (20 ft)
Spread: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: medium
Life span: medium
Life span: medium
Suckering: none
Suckering: medium


Fall colour: scarlet red
Flowers: white clusters, spring
Flowers: showy, red-orange
Fruit: greenish yellow
Berries: bunches of orange-red
Flavor: bitter
Harvest: fall
Seeds: seeds contained within the berries
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, PE
Other Names: dogberry
Other Names: flowering quince, maules quince