Double Take Orange Flowering Quince

Double Take Orange Flowering Quince (Chaenomeles speciosa 'Orange Storm')

Double Take Orange Flowering Quince is an early-spring shrub that puts on a bold show of double orange flowers before the leaves fully emerge. Also known as flowering quince and Japanese quince, it brings strong color when most landscapes are still waking up. The dense, rounded habit makes it easy to tuck into borders or use as a low, informal hedge for quick seasonal impact. Unlike many quince, this selection is typically thornless and does not set fruit, so the energy stays focused on flowers and growth.

Distinctive Features

Large, camellia-like double blooms open in early spring in saturated orange tones, often appearing in profusion along bare stems. Plants are generally thornless and are noted for producing little to no fruit, which keeps the look clean and flower-forward. Glossy green leaves fill in after bloom and provide a neat backdrop through summer, with limited fall color. The overall form is broad-rounded and dense, making it effective for massing and for bringing spring color close to eye level.

Growing Conditions

• Sun: Full sun to part shade, with best flowering in full sun.
• Soil: Average, well-drained soil, and it adapts to many soil types when drainage is reliable.
• Water: Moderate, water regularly during establishment, then deep water during extended dry spells.
• USDA Zones: Hardy in zones 5 to 9.
• Mature Size: Typically 3 to 5 feet tall and 3 to 5 feet wide.

Ideal Uses

• Focal Point: Plant where the early spring orange bloom can be the first big seasonal highlight in a main view.
• Foundation Planting: Use to add spring color and a dense, rounded shape along the front or corners of the home.
• Mixed Shrub Borders: Combine with evergreens and summer bloomers so the bed stays layered after its spring peak.
• Informal Hedge: Plant in a row for a low hedge that flowers heavily in spring and stays full through summer.
• Cut Branches: Clip flowering stems to bring indoors for early-season arrangements and forced bloom.

Low Maintenance Care

• Pruning: Prune right after flowering since it blooms on older wood, thinning and shaping as needed.
• Watering: Keep evenly moist the first season, then water during drought to support vigor and repeat performance.
• Mulching: Mulch to conserve moisture and suppress weeds, keeping mulch pulled back from the base.
• Fertilizing: Feed lightly in spring if growth is weak, and avoid heavy nitrogen that reduces flowering.
• Spacing: Give it room for its rounded outline so branches can flower freely without crowding.

Why Choose Double Take Orange Flowering Quince?

• Early Spring Color: Double orange flowers provide a major bloom moment when little else is flowering.
• Clean Look: Typically thornless and fruitless, keeping the plant focused on flowers and foliage.
• Dense Habit: Rounded, well-branched growth works well for borders and low hedges.
• Adaptable Performance: Handles common landscape conditions with simple care once established.
• Generally Deer Resistant: Often reported to be less appealing to deer than many flowering shrubs.

Double Take Orange Flowering Quince is most effective when you use it for a strong spring statement and let the shrub carry the bed into leaf-out with a full, tidy shape. Plant it in sun for the heaviest bloom, prune just after flowering, and keep the roots evenly moist while it establishes. In borders, hedges, and foundation beds, it delivers a reliable spring show with an easy, garden-friendly footprint.