Name: Chaenomeles speciosa 'Texas Scarlet' (Texas Scarlet Flowering Quince)

Average Landscape Size: 3–4 ft tall × 3–4 ft wide; dense, spreading habit (can reach 4–6 ft if unpruned)

Sun Requirements: Full sun to partial shade; best flowering in full sun

Water Needs: Low to moderate; very drought tolerant once established

Deer Resistance: High

Cold Hardiness: USDA Zones 5–9; excellent cold hardiness, completely deciduous in Willis winters

Fertilization & Pruning: Light fertilizer in early spring; prune immediately after flowering

Detailed Description: Texas Scarlet Quince is absolutely spectacular when those brilliant red-orange blooms burst out in early spring before the leaves even appear! It's like having fireworks in your garden when everything else is still waking up from winter. Here in Willis, it's perfectly adapted to our climate and provides that early spring color we all crave after winter. Most folks maintain these around 3–4 feet, making them perfect for mixed borders or naturalized areas. It's incredibly drought tolerant once established and completely deer resistant – plus those early blooms are fantastic for cutting and bringing indoors!

Data compiled: September 2025