Japonica

Chaenomeles japonica

I have always known this bush as japonica, but it wasn't until I looked up its proper name that I discovered that it is a quince. There are two thickets in my garden. They tend to send up suckers that soon become bushes in their own right. I keep the bushes fairly compact, trimming the long, leafy branches off in the autumn. Then at this time of year they burst into densely packed flowers. A joy to behold.

Edit I didn't mention the fruit, which is smooth and apple-shaped. They are very rich in pectin, but they don't have the flavour of the lumpy pear-shaped quince. I have used them to boost the pectin levels in other fruits for jelly making.