Flowering quince (boke)
Chaenomeles speciosa
ボケ
Rosaceae
Chaenomeles speciosa is a deciduous shrub native to China, in Japanese
Edible Container Wildlife value: low Maintenance: low shrub
Planting calendar (Tokyo baseline)
Pick a region in the header to shift the window.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Planting | ||||||||||||
| Flowering | ||||||||||||
| Fruiting |
Tokyo baseline: months 11, 12, 1, 2, 3
Growing requirements
| Light | full sun |
|---|---|
| Water | medium |
| Soil | average, well-drained |
| Hardiness | Tokyo lowland |
| Container | Yes · Min container size: 20 L |
| Maintenance | low |
| Common issues | aphids |
Where to source
Seedlings, divisions, or seed. Native plant suppliers in Japan are the right starting point.
- Search Japanese suppliers for seedlings · native-plant suppliers
About this plant
Chaenomeles speciosa is a deciduous shrub native to China, in Japanese
gardens since the Heian period. Flowers in scarlet, pink, or white
open before the leaves on thorny branches. Drought-, cold-, and
disease-tolerant; among the easier flowering shrubs for novices.
Fruit is processed (jam, fruit liqueur), not eaten raw.
Usage
Low informal hedge, thorn-barrier planting, bonsai, containers.
Practical info
| Native | No |
|---|---|
| Edible | Yes |
| Edible parts | fruit (cooked or steeped — not raw) |
| Wildlife value | low |
| Attracts |
|
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Sources
Primary references, publications, and observation data this page draws on. How sources are picked is described in About the data .
- RHS — Chaenomeles speciosa
- Catalog editor (niwa, 2026-05)