Both pretty to look at and with beautiful golden fruit, the Japanese quince is one of the most delightful edible ornamentalsAs we water and weed our flower borders, we are often unwittingly tending all sorts of tasty treats that live secret double lives in other parts of the world as major crops. Lying hidden in plain sight, at this time of year my very favourite of all these edible ornamentals is the Japanese quince, Chaenomeles japonica. Despite its giveaway name and wild popularity as an autumnal delicacy in eastern Asia, it is virtually unknown as an ingredient in the UK.To me, a greedy botanist, this is a huge shame for a number of reasons. First, it’s an extremely common shrub, with stunning spring blossom in dusky pink, vivid orange and even the purest white – like something out of a manga film. This means tens of thousands of fruit are produced in gardens up and down the country each year, all of which are essentially destined for the compost heap. Continue reading…
Source : theguardian.com
Read more…Gardens: it’s the season for Japanese quince
