Chaenomeles sup. ‘Crimson and Gold’

Are you searching for a vibrant, low-growing shrub to bring essential early colour to your garden before most other plants awaken? Look no further than Chaenomeles sup. ‘Crimson and Gold’, a fantastic specimen celebrated for its spectacular crimson-red and striking gold flowers that generously appear in March and April, often before the green leaves emerge.

This variety features a spreading, low and bushy growth habit supported by spiny branches, offering year-round structure; after the spring bloom fades, you can anticipate the appearance of small, hard, yellow-green fruit in the autumn, which provides food for birds, though fruit set can be sparse in the UK climate. This plant is truly beneficial for wildlife, attracting bees to those early blooms and offering sustenance for birds later in the year.

For best results growing this useful specimen, it happily tolerates most soil types found in the UK, including the heavier clay and chalk soils, and it thrives best when positioned in full sun, although it will still provide good flowering in partial shade; consider using it in mixed borders, for training against a sunny wall, or as a tough addition to a wildlife garden where you need a reliable feature providing wonderful seasonal interest.