Almost every owner of a plot of land wants his garden to look not only beautiful, but also unusual. Therefore, recently, many began to grow in front of the house not only pears or apple trees that are familiar to everyone, but also some exotic plants. The latter include a shrub of incredible beauty called "Japanese quince". Photos, care, features of growing this amazing culture - all this is presented in this article. This small tree fascinates with its incredible beauty. The aroma that spreads throughout the garden during its flowering leaves no one indifferent.
Japanese quince - photo and description
Despite the fact that this culture is considered exotic, it takes root well and even bears fruit in many Russian regions.
Today, Japanese quince, planting and caring for which do not require special knowledge, grows even in the plots of beginner gardeners. This culture has several other names. Experts know her as chaenomeles, and the people call heralso "northern lemon". Japanese quince, which belongs to ornamental fruit and berry crops, is a fairly heat-loving plant, so it grows very well in those regions where the climate is mild. The chaenomeles tree has a dwarf size, so it is often called a shrub. The cultivation of Japanese quince is becoming more common every year. Most often, the fruits of this culture are used in canning - for making jam, marmalade or preserves. In the cuisines of some countries there are very tasty chaenomeles side dishes. These small trees have characteristic flexible arc-shaped branches, glossy leaves with carved edges, sharp spines (in most species) and bright beautiful flowers. The latter can be red orange, white and pink.
There are three varieties of Japanese quince. At the same time, there are much more interspecific varieties - about 500. The main representatives of the family have taken root not only in the southern regions, but also in the conditions of the middle zone of our country. These include "pomegranate bracelet", characterized by frost resistance and fast fruit ripening, "pink queen", "falconet scarlet", etc.
Flowering
At one time, Japanese quince was grown in European countries exclusively as an ornamental plant. The culture was used to decorate alpine slides and paths, it was planted in the middle of the lawn as a separate bush, bonsai and living fences were created from it. Chaenomeles is especially beautiful during the flowering period.
Japanese quince, as you might guess from its name, comes from the land of the rising sun, although it is also quite common in China and Korea. Northern lemon blooms luxuriantly and richly, delighting the owner with beauty for almost a month.
Fruiting
You can admire the plant during this period for a long time.
This culture gives fruits only in the third year. They are shaped like a pear. The yellow fruits of Japanese quince have a specific taste reminiscent of lemon. They are rarely eaten raw due to their sourness and tough flesh. The waxy skin of the quince keeps the fruits fresh for quite a long time.
Harvest ripens by the end of September or the beginning of October. When mature, Japanese quince fruits may have a bright orange or green-yellow color. Covered on the outside with a wax coating, which perfectly protects them from damage, they can endure even slight frosts on a tree. About half of the volume of the fruit is occupied by its brown seeds, which outwardly resemble apple trees. From each small tree, you can collect two or more kilograms of quince.
Benefits of chaenomeles
This fruit contains many biologically active components. It is this high concentration that determines the benefits and harms of Japanese quince. Chaenomeles is an excellent assistant in such a common pathology as obesity.
Nutritionists often recommend using it in the daily diet not only as a low-calorie fruit, but also as a means ofstrengthening the cardiovascular and nervous systems. Quince Japanese relieves toxicosis during pregnancy. Its diuretic action is also widely known. Regular use of chaenomeles can prevent the formation of edema, normalize the balance of copper and iron in the body, and serve as a prophylaxis against anemia. Japanese quince, whose fruits are famous for their high content of vitamins C and E, as well as carotene, is used for colds to increase immunity. An infusion of its seeds is an excellent expectorant. The leaves and branches of chaenomeles are also quite widely used in folk medicine due to their medicinal properties. Decoctions and infusions of them perfectly cleanse oily skin, help strengthen hair follicles and lighten pigmentation. A nice plus of this culture is the absence of allergens in its fruits.
Harm
When using Japanese quince, it is necessary to take into account not only its benefits, but also contraindications. For example, people whose professional activities are associated with a load on the vocal cords are strictly forbidden to use fresh chaenomeles. The fact is that the structure of the skin of the fruits of Japanese quince can lead to a deterioration in the condition of the larynx. This fruit is also contraindicated for those who suffer from constipation, since the fruits have a high content of tannins. It is forbidden to use fresh chaenomeles and pleurisy.
How to plant a northern lemon
The culture is thermophilic, so the Japanese quince is planted only in spring. The soil must be free of weeds.
Its friability is a mandatory requirement for the normal development of the root system. To lighten the soil, it is recommended to add a small amount of sand to it. It is necessary to choose a place for planting Japanese quince, based on its requirement for good lighting. It is recommended to plant a crop in the southern parts of the garden. This plant does not tolerate transplanting well, so it is advisable to immediately choose a permanent place for it.
When preparing a hole for planting chaenomeles, several requirements must be observed: the width should be no more than sixty, and the depth - up to eighty centimeters. The main condition for this is that the root collar is not exposed. The hole prepared for planting should be filled not only with fresh earth, but also with fertilizer from a mixture of one or two buckets of humus, superphosphate (300 g), potassium nitrate and wood ash. Only then can the plant be planted. When planting a seedling, the roots should be completely underground, but not too deep. The plant must be well watered, and then mulched with humus. Henomeles does not like to be "disturbed", so it is advisable not to transplant. In the right place on the site, Japanese quince can grow up to sixty years.
How to care for chaenomeles
Japanese quince, the care of which requires certain knowledge and skills from the gardener, can grow well in the conditions of central Russia.
Adhering to all required agricultural standards, evena beginner grower will be able to get a good harvest. This ornamental shrub requires the following rules. Watering it should be moderate. Japanese quince can easily tolerate short periods of drought, but it does not like abundant soil moisture. The correct formation of culture is also important. It should not have more than twenty branches. Formation should be carried out annually. It is necessary to cut not only dead and dry branches, but also those that, due to the small height of the bush, touch the ground. This event should be carried out in the spring, even before the appearance of the kidneys. Winter care for Japanese quince consists in covering the bush with spruce paws.
Reproduction
There are three ways - seeds, division or cuttings. The most popular among Russian gardeners is the first option. To propagate Japanese quince with seeds, fertile soil should be prepared in February-March and planting material should be planted. After a month and a half, small sprouts already appear, which are transplanted into peat cups to strengthen the root system. By the end of May, the plant is already ready for placement in open ground.
For propagation of chaenomeles by cuttings, planting material must be prepared in the fall. Mature cut shoots should be stored in a cool place until early spring. From mid-March, rooted cuttings can already be placed in open ground.
Reproduction of Japanese quince by division is quite simple. Seedlings just need to be planted at a distance of about a meter from each other at the endspring or late autumn, after which it is already possible to graft the plant.
Feeding
In the third year after planting, Japanese quince requires fertilizer. This should be done for the first time in early spring. Organic and mineral fertilizers are used for top dressing. The near-stem soil must be filled with compost, as well as potassium and superphosphate. The second time the plant is fertilized in summer with ammonium nitrate and bird droppings.
Diseases
The main pest of chaenomeles is the aphid. Her appearance on the bush can be a disaster for the plant. Therefore, the culture should be periodically inspected, and if aphids are found, immediately treated with special compounds. In conditions of high humidity, in wet weather, various fungal diseases can appear on the bushes. For example, with necrosis or spotting, quince leaves begin to deform, dry out, with damage by cercosporosis, brown spots are observed on them, and with ramularia - brown. The most effective way to combat these diseases is to use a solution of copper-soap liquid with the addition of 0.2% foundationazole. A less dangerous method is to spray the bushes with a tincture of onion husks.
