Have you ever spotted some strange apple-like fruit growing on a bush in your yard and wondered what in the world it could be? You’re not alone! Lots of gardeners are puzzled when they suddenly notice hard, apple-shaped fruit hanging from an unknown plant. But don’t worry – there’s usually a simple explanation.
What Causes Apple-Looking Fruit on Ornamental Bushes?
The most common source of apple-like fruit on landscape bushes is the flowering quince. This old-fashioned deciduous shrub has some very distinctive features
- Grows to about 5 feet tall and wide.
- Has tangled, thorny stems emerging from the base.
- Simple, alternate, dark green leaves.
- Clusters of showy white, pink or ruby red flowers in spring.
- Hard, golf ball-sized fruits ripening in late summer/fall.
The quince fruit is too hard and tart for human consumption, but can be made into jelly. Flowering quinces are tough, carefree shrubs that were very popular in colonial times, but aren’t seen as often today. When found, they frequently mark the site of an old homestead.
A Couple Other Culprits for Mystery Fruit
While flowering quince accounts for most cases of apple fruit on shrubs two other possibilities also exist
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Chinese Quince – Large shrub to 15 feet tall/wide. Simple lobed leaves resemble oak leaves. Clusters of white/pink flowers. Yellow-green quince-like fruit in fall can be eaten cooked.
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Oregon Crabapple – Small native tree to 30 feet tall. Pinkish-white apple-like flowers. Bitter yellow-green 1-2 inch crabapples cluster on branches. Fruits often persist on the tree dried through winter.
Positively Identifying the Mystery Shrub
To figure out if your fruiting shrub is a flowering quince or something else, look closely at these distinguishing features:
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Growth habit – Flowering quince is an upright, twiggy shrub, while Chinese quince and Oregon crabapple form small trees.
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Leaf shape – Quince has basic elliptical leaves. Crabapple leaves are oval with serrations. Chinese quince has oak-like lobed foliage.
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Flower details – Quince flowers have frilly, jagged petal edges. Chinese quince petals are smooth.
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Fruit stem – Quince fruit attaches directly to branches. Crabapple/Chinese quince fruits have noticeable stems.
Paying attention to changing details through the seasons will provide more clues to get an accurate ID on your mystery apple shrub!
Other Shrubs to Consider
While quince species are the most common source of apple-like fruit on ornamental shrubs, a couple other plants can sometimes fool you:
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Cockspur Hawthorn – Small tree to 24 feet tall. Clusters of tiny red fruits resemble little apples. Hardy in zones 3-7.
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Washington Hawthorn – Shrubby tree to 30 feet tall has abundant red fruits. Thrives in zones 3-8.
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Japanese Flowering Crabapple – Spring flowering tree grows 20-30 feet tall. Produces clusters of true bite-sized crabapples. Tolerates a wide range of climates.
Caring for Your Fruiting Bush
Once you’ve identified your mystery fruiting shrub, you can provide proper care to keep it healthy. Here are some tips:
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Watering – Most fruiting shrubs are quite drought tolerant when established, but need regular watering the first 1-2 years.
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Pruning – Lightly prune after flowering to shape and improve fruiting. Avoid heavy shearing.
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Fertilization – Apply a balanced fertilizer in early spring to support growth and fruit production.
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Pest control – Watch for common problems like aphids, mites, scale, caterpillars that may need treatment.
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Harvesting fruit – Harvest quince/crabapples after first frost when fruits are softer. Refrigerate or cook/process immediately.
Final Tips on Mystery Fruiting Shrubs
With some detective work, you can get to the bottom of unknown fruiting shrubs in your landscape. Pay close attention to growth habit, foliage, flowers, and fruits through the seasons. Consider flowering quince the prime suspect for apple-like mystery fruits. But also watch for less common culprits like Chinese quince, Oregon crabapple and hawthorn species. Once identified, you can provide the proper care to enjoy their beauty and bounty!
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FAQ
Is ghost apple edible?
Ghost Apple is a small tree that is commonly grown for its edible qualities. It produces almost white skinned apples (which are botanically known as ‘pomes’)and white flesh which are usually ready for picking from early to mid summer.
Are bush apples edible?
These golf ball–sized apples come in beautiful scarlet colours. The fruit has a large seed, but the flesh is soft and tart. We love them fresh, sliced in salads or just eaten like an apple (but navigating the seed).
What fruit looks like an apple but isn’t?
Quince is a fall fruit that looks similar to apples and pears, but tastes quite different. It’s yellow in appearance, short, somewhat round, and has a relatively tough texture. Whole quince fruit is not available everywhere, but quince paste is commonly sold in stores.
Are there any poisonous apple look alikes?
The manchineel’s small apple-like fruit definitely won’t keep the doctor away — it packs such a poisonous punch that the Spanish conquistadors called it the manzanilla de la muerte or little apple of death.
What shrubs have apple-like fruit?
Other notable shrubs with tiny apple-like fruit include the hawthorns. Cockspur hawthorn (Crataegus crus-galli) is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 7 and produces white flowers on a tree up to 24 feet tall. Washington hawthorn (Crataegus phaenopyrum) thrives in USDA zones 3 to 8. This plant features white flowers on a tree up to 30 feet tall.
Why does a bush resemble an apple?
Gardeners are often surprised when an unknown bush in their landscape suddenly produces fruit resembling small hard apples. This phenomenon is typically caused by flowering quince (Chaenomeles species) – an old-fashioned deciduous flowering shrub. But other plants can also produce apple-like fruit.
Why does a mystery Bush have apple shaped fruit & flowers?
This phenomenon is typically caused by flowering quince (Chaenomeles species) – an old-fashioned deciduous flowering shrub. But other plants can also produce apple-like fruit. This article explores how to identify a mystery bush with apple-shaped fruit and flowers.
How big does a Japanese bush apple grow?
Japanese bush apple, or the flowering quince, grows at a moderate pace each year, creating a densely branched plant. Its mature size measures up to 3 feet tall, but its wide-spreading branches reach a diameter between 5 to 6 feet, according to the Learn2Grow plant database.
Do crab apples & Hawthorns produce fruit?
Both crab apples and hawthorns produce fruit. Crab apples, true to their Malus genus, produce tiny apples. They are usually green and quite sour but are excellent for making jellies. Hawthorn fruits, or haws, come in many colors from yellow to red and even black, notes Plants for the Future.