Texas Scarlet Flowering Quince

Very compact hybrid flowering quince, Chaenomeles x superba (C. japonica x C. speciosa). Small spreading dense bushy deciduous shrub with often-tangled spiny-tipped thorny twigs. Dwarf habit, one of earliest plants to bloom in spring. Jet Trail is a sport of Texas Scarlet. Adapts to wide range soil conditions, prefers well-drained loams. Tolerates drought once established. Blooms on old growth. Self-fertile but planting multiple varieties increases fruit production. Hardy, pest and disease resistant, low maintenance. Attracts pollinators, hummingbirds, Baltimore orioles. Not particularly attractive to deer but damaged by rabbit feeding.

Abundant clusters of fiery red to bright watermelon-red to tomato-red flowers (1.5 inches across, 3-4 cm) with prominent golden anthers. Showy large flowers open before shiny glossy dark green oval-shaped leaves emerge on spreading branches. Blooms in profusion for weeks in early spring, late winter to early spring. Sometimes repeat blooms. Small fragrant greenish-yellow fruits (2-2.5 inches across, 5 cm) ripen early fall, may acquire red tinges when mature in autumn, turn yellow in fall. Edible but too bitter to eat fresh - used for preserves, jellies, jams, baked goods. High quality fragrant fruit. Branches can be cut late winter and forced to bloom indoors.