Northwest Blooms · Shrubs
Chaenomeles speciosa 'Orange Delight'
Orange Delight Flowering Quince
- Family
- Rosaceae
- Height
- 3 feet
- Width
- 3 feet
- Flower color
- Orange
- Foliage color
- Deep green, glossy
- Bloom time
- Early spring
- Light
- Full sun to partial shade
- Water
- Regular
- Maintenance
- Low to moderate; pruning may be needed to maintain shape and remove dead wood
- Growing zone
- Hardy in USDA zones 4 to 8
- Wildlife
- The flowers attract pollinators such as bees and butterflies. The fruits are attractive to birds and other wildlife
About this plant
Chaenomeles speciosa 'Orange Delight' produces abundant bright orange, cup-shaped flowers in late winter to early spring, opening along bare branches before the foliage fully emerges. Glossy, finely toothed leaves emerge reddish bronze before maturing to rich dark green, creating dense foliage through the growing season. The spreading, intricately branched stems provide additional structure, while fragrant yellow-green quince-like fruits may develop after flowering and ripen in fall.
Selected from a species native to China, 'Orange Delight' is valued for its vivid early flowers and broad, spreading growth. It is well suited to mixed shrub borders, cottage gardens, hedges, slopes, and foundation plantings, where its colorful blossoms bring welcome warmth to the late-winter landscape and its dense branching provides lasting structure.
Works well in
Sun Gardens · Foundation Plantings · Small Gardens · Pollinator Gardens
Companion plants
Yarrows · Caryopteris · Sea holly · Rock rose · Penstemon · Blue fescue
Design tip
Its compact, rounded shape makes this quince easy to work into smaller spaces where larger varieties could overwhelm the planting. The orange spring flowers also pair beautifully with nearby blues and purples, creating a cheerful color combination before much of the garden reaches its peak.
