Northwest Blooms · Shrubs
Chaenomeles speciosa 'Contorta'
Contorted Flowering Quince
- Family
- Rosaceae
- Height
- 6 to 10 feet
- Width
- 6 to 10 feet
- Flower color
- Soft pink five petaled flowers with darker centers and golden yellow stamens
- Foliage color
- Glossy medium green oval leaves on distinctive twisted and contorted branches
- Bloom time
- Late winter to early spring
- Light
- Full sun to partial shade
- Water
- Average
- Maintenance
- Low; prune after flowering to shape plants and remove older stems
- Growing zone
- USDA zones 5 to 9
- Wildlife
- Bees and other early season pollinating insects
About this plant
Chaenomeles speciosa 'Contorta' produces clusters of soft pink flowers in early to mid spring, each bloom opening with rounded petals and golden stamens along the twisted branches. The blossoms appear along the tangled stems before or as the foliage emerges, bringing early seasonal color. Small, glossy green leaves unfold along the contorted branches in spring, filling the twisting framework with fresh foliage through the growing season.
This cultivar traces its heritage to Chaenomeles speciosa native to China. In gardens it brings sculptural interest to borders, informal hedges, and specimen plantings where the distinctive branching and early spring flowers provide seasonal character.
Works well in
Sun Gardens · Foundation Plantings · Informal Hedges · Pollinator Gardens
Companion plants
Abelias · Tufted hair grass · Stonecrop · Coneflower · Agastache · Blazing star
Design tip
Twisted branches give this quince character even before its soft pink flowers open, so avoid hiding its unusual framework behind denser shrubs. A position near a path or entry lets the sculptural branching become part of the garden experience and rewards closer viewing in early spring.
Where to see it
This plant can be seen at Heronswood Garden.
