Flowering Quince (Chaenomeles)
Description
Chaenomeles is a genus of three species of deciduous spiny shrubs, usually 1-3 m tall, in the family Rosaceae. They are native to Japan, Korea, China, Bhutan, and Burma. (Burmese: ) These plants are related to the quince (Cydonia oblonga) and the Chinese quince (Pseudocydonia sinensis), differing in the serrated leaves that lack fuzz, and in the flowers, borne in clusters, having deciduous sepals and styles that are connate at the base.The leaves are alternately arranged, simple, and have a serrated margin. The flowers are 3-4.5 cm diameter, with five petals, and are usually bright orange-red, but can be white or pink; flowering is in late winter or early spring. The fruit is a pome with five carpels; it ripens in late autumn.Chaenomeles is used as a food plant by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including the brown-tail and the leaf-miner Bucculatrix pomifoliella. The species have become popular ornamental shrubs in parts of Europe and North America, grown in gardens both for their bright flowers and as a spiny barrier. Some cultivars grow up to 2 m tall, but others are much smaller and creeping. They are also suitable for cultivation as a bonsai. The fruits are very hard and astringent and very unpleasant to eat raw, though they do soften and become less astringent after frost (via the process of bletting). The fruit are, however, suitable for making liqueurs, as well as marmalade and preserves, as they contain more pectin than apples and true quinces. The fruits are sometimes used as a substitute for true quinces, though the fruit of flowering quinces is considered by some to be inferior in flavor compared to the fruit of true quinces. The fruit of flowering quinces also contains more vitamin C than lemons (up to 150 mg/100 g).
Taxonomic tree
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Domain: Eukarya
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Kingdom: Plantae
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Phylum: Magnoliophyta
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Class: Magnoliopsida
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Order: Rosales
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Family: Rosaceae
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Genus: Chaenomeles
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