O Yashima Double Flowering White Quince

O Yashima Double Flowering White Quince

Beginning in February, the abundant and enormous double white flowers of O Yashima Flowering Quince herald the arrival of spring. The unique, soft green flowers begin to open on bare branches in February turning to white through March. The bloom starts a little later the further north you go. A vigorous grower to 6 feet tall and wide over time. If you want to enjoy the beautiful flowers indoors simply cut budded branches and put them in your favorite vase. The warmer interior environment will force the buds to open. Flowering Quince is long-lived and exceptionally easy to grow requiring little to no maintenance. Combines nicely with other early flowering shrubs and trees such as Forsythia, spring flowering Camellias, Tulip Tree Magnolias, and spring flowering Spirea.

Cutting

1. Cut flowering quince branches with a generous number of swelling buds. Branches measuring approximately 12 inches in length are preferable. Bring the branches indoors, and then hold each stem under water and re-cut the bottom. Re-cutting the branch underwater ensures that the branch absorbs water and prevents air from entering the branch, thus prolonging the life of the flowering quince branch. Remove leaves on the lower end of the branch, as leaves submerged in water rot, becoming smelly and decreasing the life of the blooms.

   Conditioning

   1. To condition white flowering quince branches, place each branch on a solid surface and hammer the end of the stem. This step helps the woody stem take up water more effectively. Place the branch in a bucket of water immediately, and then put the bucket of branches in a cool room where temperatures are between 60 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Avoid bright sunlight, which can result in stunted, misshapen blooms that open too soon. Flowering quince branches require a minimum of one to two weeks before blooming occurs.

   Care

   1. When the buds open and the flowers appear, it's safe to bring the white flowering quince branches into normal indoor room temperatures. Check the vase daily and replenish the water as needed, since budding white flowering quince branches absorb a large amount of water, and keeping the water fresh results in long-blooming branches.

   Tips

   1. When cutting a large quince branch, don't cut the branch too near the trunk. Instead, allow 2 to 3 inches of the branch to remain on the plant, as the protrusion allows the cut area to heal rapidly. If temperatures are just above or below 32 degrees when you cut the flowering quince branch, immerse the branch in a bucket of lukewarm water overnight and then condition the branches the following morning. This gentle warming stimulates early spring te