Chojubai Quince

[marc206]

I just noticed this quince in my stepdads yard. He said I could take it if I had a good plant to put there. It has many trunks and has been there for 30 plus years. Trunks range from and inch to two. What do you think? Does anyone know the cultivar?
These are the best picturesi could get while I was there. Hope you like.

 

[GrimLore]

What do you think? Does anyone know the cultivar?

Hello Chris, I see you are still in Washington. Hope all is good with you and yours. I am pretty certain what I am looking at is a Japanese flowering quince shrub(s) Chaenomeles . They have been sold throughout the USA for a long time as an ornamental, we have some over 50 years old at the farm. Tough plants, love full sun, used in Bonsai. Depending on the region it is found in it can be referred to as either a Japanese Quince or Flowering Quince and is sometimes called a Japanese flowering quince shrub. If memory serves me correctly there are only 1 or 2 subs of this plant which I am not familiar with.

Grimmy

 

[Don Blackmond]

Its a chaenomeles which is a Japanese Quince. Definitiely not a chojubai which is a dwarf of chaenomeles.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Probably not chojubai; scale is too large. Chojubai leaves are 1/4-1/2", and so are the internodes. They are very small.

It may be tough to positively ID thr cultivar unless you find a tag buried nearby.

You could train it for bonsai, but while you're digging for a tag, excavate around the base and see if it has anything interesting going on under the straight, taperless trunk. Then shorten it drastically and grow some new trunk sections with taper and movement.

 

[Cadillactaste]

I would be more apt to go with younger stock at a nursery. Cutting it all back to somewhat nubs. And grow out a clump that I would wire and add interest to. Since I think they are somewhat known for their lack of taper. Though...cutting back,growing out and cutting back you could possibly develop slight taper. Unsure...really don't know this species well. Other than seeing landscape trees.

But lack of taper...has me thinking that you will basically be starting from scratch here. If you cut it back...I mean, it could be done. But...to what extent. Replacing your mom's landscape shrub...or choosing a color of your liking. And developing it.

I've personally considered doing a similar project...and making a clump. But...cutting back hard and leaving just nubs above the ground. Wiring new growth once it's grown out a bit...then cutting back and repeating.

 

[parhamr]

Possibly Chaenomeles speciosa

 

[GrimLore]

Hello Chris, I see you are still in Washington. Hope all is good with you and yours. I am pretty certain what I am looking at is a Japanese flowering quince shrub(s) Chaenomeles . They have been sold throughout the USA for a long time as an ornamental, we have some over 50 years old at the farm. Tough plants, love full sun, used in Bonsai. Depending on the region it is found in it can be referred to as either a Japanese Quince or Flowering Quince and is sometimes called a Japanese flowering quince shrub. If memory serves me correctly there are only 1 or 2 subs of this plant which I am not familiar with.

Its a chaenomeles which is a Japanese Quince. Definitiely not a chojubai which is a dwarf of chaenomeles.

Probably not chojubai; scale is too large. Chojubai leaves are 1/4-1/2", and so are the internodes. They are very small. It may be tough to positively ID thr cultivar unless you find a tag buried nearby. You could train it for bonsai, but while you're digging for a tag, excavate around the base and see if it has anything interesting going on under the straight, taperless trunk. Then shorten it drastically and grow some new trunk sections with taper and movement.

Possibly Chaenomeles speciosa

What do you think?

Seems we agree on what it is, now I'll give my thoughts on it That plant should take a heavy cut back very good but I am not certain when in your area. It can be a real nice plant in a Bonsai pot - most are grown for the blooms and really very few follow any style. They can be very pleasing to the eye and fun to work on. I bet @fredtruck could turn that into something nice in a few short years - perhaps under three. If you are not required to replace it with a plant that costs over 40USD consider it. The reason is you might be able to get them at a local Nursery without having to dig it out and if that is the case they "should" not be expensive.

Grimmy

 

[augustine]

There are many of this type in my area which have been around for a long time. It could be Texas Scarlet, a common type in the nursery trade. The flowers are pretty but overall the tree is very coarse. You would have to chop a piece, or clump, way down low and create movement in the new shoots.

 

[MichaelS]

marc, this is excellent material. The older the better! You need to dig it up and prune both roots and branches very short so you are basically left with the root stock and the former trunks which should now be about 1 inch long no more. Prune all the wayward branches and suckers off so you have a nice compact piece of material you can fit into a pot. Be sure to seal all exposed cuts (branches)
from then on just give a bit of shape to what comes up and you will soon (5 to 10 years) have a very nice bonsai. That is exactly what I did with the one above my name.

 

[thumblessprimate1]

marc, this is excellent material. The older the better! You need to dig it up and prune both roots and branches very short so you are basically left with the root stock and the former trunks which should now be about 1 inch long no more. Prune all the wayward branches and suckers off so you have a nice compact piece of material you can fit into a pot. Be sure to seal all exposed cuts (branches)
from then on just give a bit of shape to what comes up and you will soon (5 to 10 years) have a very nice bonsai. That is exactly what I did with the one above my name.

Do you have thread of it that I missed?

 

[MichaelS]

Do you have thread of it that I missed?

No but check out International Bonsai 2006 No.1 page 32 for the procedure.