Chaenomeles speciosa ‘Geisha Girl‘ - Chinese Quince 'Geisha Girl'
General: The chinese quince is native to China and Japan. It grows as a shrub with upright and broadly spreading shoots. It becomes up to 3 meters high and usually just as wide. The leaves are summer green, shiny dark green, narrow and turn yellow in autumn or are sometimes shed green. The chinese quince blooms very beautifully and intensely with light to dark red flowers between March and April. Typical yellow quince fruits develop later. These are a special ornament in winter. In addition, the quinces are edible and can be made into jelly.
Care as a bonsai: As a bonsai, the chinese quince particularly delight with their blooming in spring. It often happens that the quince brings color to winter with the first flowers in January. The main flowering time is in March and April before the leaves shoot. The yellow drupes are also very decorative on the bonsai and are already formed in young specimens. Blossom formation takes place on two- and three-year-old wood. Therefore, the fresh shoots that are so important for bonsai design can be cut back in summer without affecting the formation of flowers and fruit. In order not to disturb the flowering and the seamless spring shoot, it is advisable to move the topiary and repotting in late autumn. Good winter protection is then essential. In extreme heat, it is advisable to place the plant a little more shady to avoid leaf burns.
Special features of the variety chinese quince 'Geisha Girl': The ‘Geisha Girl variety forms beautiful, apricot-colored flowers in April and grows somewhat more compact and weaker than the species.
