Have you ever spotted small, hard, apple-shaped fruits on a mystery shrub in your yard and wondered where they came from? You’re not alone – many gardeners are surprised when unknown bushes start producing what looks like tiny crabapples. In most cases, these mystery fruits come from old-fashioned flowering quince shrubs. But a couple other plants can also produce similar orchard fruits on landscape bushes.
What Causes Apple-Shaped Fruits on Ornamental Bushes?
The most common source of apple-like fruits on landscape shrubs is flowering quince (Chaenomeles species). Also known as Japanese quince or japonica, this thorny, tangled deciduous shrub has been grown since colonial times but is less common in modern gardens. When found it often marks the site of an old homestead.
Two other possibilities for apple-lookalike fruits include
- Chinese quince (Pseudocydonia sinensis): A large shrub or small tree producing fuzzy, yellow-green quince fruits.
- Oregon crabapple (Malus fusca): A western native crabapple tree with bitter greenish-yellow fruits.
Hawthorns and cockspur thorns can also produce tiny apple-shaped berries. But flowering quince is by far the most frequently encountered source.
Identifying Key Features of Flowering Quince
Flowering quince (Chaenomeles species) has several distinctive features that help set it apart from other fruiting bushes:
- Deciduous shrub growing up to 5 feet tall and wide
- Tangled, thorny stems emerging from the base
- Simple, elliptical green leaves arranged alternately along stems
- Clusters of 5-petaled flowers in spring, ranging from white to crimson depending on variety
- Hard, apple-shaped fruits 1-2 inches across ripening in late summer/fall
- Inedible fruits too hard and tart for fresh eating, but can be made into jelly
- Requires little care other than occasional pruning
- Tolerates diverse conditions including drought and poor soil
The messy, sprawling growth habit along with vicious thorns makes flowering quince a formidable barrier hedge. But it’s valued more as a classic early spring bloomer, often among the first shrubs to flower.
Distinguishing Details to Identify Mystery Fruit Shrubs
When trying to diagnose a mystery apple-fruiting shrub, look closely at other details in addition to the fruits:
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Growth habit: Flowering quince is a short tangled shrub, while Chinese quince and Oregon crabapple form larger trees.
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Leaves: Flowering quince has elliptical simple leaves. Oregon crabapple leaves are oval with serrated edges. Chinese quince has oak-like lobed leaves.
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Flowers: Flowering quince petals have fringed edges, unlike the smoother petals of Chinese quince.
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Fruit stems: Flowering quince fruits attach directly to branches. But Chinese quince and crabapple fruits have noticeable stems.
Paying attention to changing details through the seasons – flowers, fruits, leaf fall – provides more clues to properly ID the plant. Accurate identification better informs proper care and utilization.
Smart Ways to Use Mystery Fruiting Shrubs
Once identified, flowering quince and other fruiting shrubs can be used in creative ways:
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Add seasonal interest: Flowering quince blooms in early spring while hanging on to its apple-like fall fruits.
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Attract wildlife: Fruits draw birds once they soften after a frost. Flowers offer nectar for pollinators.
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Make tasty treats: Use the hard fruits to make jams, jellies, sauces, and even wines.
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Craft thorny barriers: Use the vicious thorns and spreading habit to create impenetrable hedges.
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Highlight architectural stems: Prune flowering quince stems into ornamental shapes or grow as stand-alone specimens.
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Create cozy spaces: Use flowering quince as a flowering backdrop to garden seating areas.
Caring for Mystery Fruiting Shrubs
Proper care keeps flowering quince and other fruiting shrubs looking their best:
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Prune annually after flowering to control shape and stimulate new growth.
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Water regularly until established, then flowering quince can tolerate drought.
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Fertilize lightly in early spring with balanced organic fertilizer.
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Watch for diseases like fireblight and apply preventive fungicides.
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Remove suckers around the base to keep growth contained.
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Protect from deer which will eat fruits and browse twigs.
The Takeaway on Bushes with Apple-Like Fruits
Don’t be alarmed if a mystery shrub suddenly starts producing hard greenish fruits – flowering quince is likely the culprit. A few distinguishing features like thorny stems, fringed flower petals, and fruit stems can help properly identify the plant. Accurate ID provides insights on uses for the fruits and care for the shrub. With some sleuthing, you can get to the bottom of unknown fruiting shrubs.
Additional InformationWhite, pink, orange, salmon, or red single or double flowers (depending on variant) occur in late April, are born on old wood just before the leaves fully emerge, and occur singly or 2-4 per cluster, creating an excellent dispersal of coloring throughout the shrub. Sparsely produces small, apple-like fruits, commonly called quinces, that are edible if used in preserves; harvest in October. Widely adapted to different soils and microclimates. Place in full sun location for best flower display, although it is tolerant to partial shade. Subject to occasional scale and mite infestation, apple scab, and fireblight. Leaf spot causes lateral leaves to drop prematurely; abundant rainfall early in the growing season can also cause this problem. Some pruning is needed to maintain form, and spiny branching can make that difficult. Rejuvenate periodically by pruning to a quite low (6″) framework. Collects trash in the branches. Rabbits like to chew up the twigs and small branches. Little seasonal interest after the one week of flower show, restricting its usability.
| Number | Accession ID | Location |
| 1 | 2010_08668*A | TERM |
The IMPORTANCE of Summer Pruning an Apple Tree – Part 1 of 2
FAQ
Is the kei apple fruit edible?
Ripe fruit is edible and can be used to make excellent jam, jelly, cake, drink, dessert or is added to fruit salad. The unripe fruit is used to make pickles. Kei apple trees can be cultivated as a border or used to form an impenetrable hedge around a garden to keep unwanted animals and peo- ple out.
Are bush apples edible?
Uses. The fruit is eaten raw by Aboriginal people. The tree is also used as firewood and as a nectar source for bees.
What is the fruit that looks like an apple but not an apple?
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.
Can you eat pitch apple fruit?
The pitch apple fruit resembles mangosteen, to which it is related. Both the seeds and fruit are poisonous to humans, but birds eat the seeds.
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.
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 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.
How do you know if an apple-fruited shrub is flowering quince?
To determine whether an unknown apple-fruited shrub is flowering quince vs. another species, look closely at other features: Growth habit – Flowering quince is a tangled, thorny shrub about 5 feet tall while Chinese quince and Oregon crabapple form larger trees. Leaf shape – Flowering quince has simple, elliptical leaves.