Chaenomeles japonica (Thunberg, 1780) Lindl. ex Spach, 1834

Stalažs, Arturs, Sviķe, Silga & Veckalne, Aiga, 2022, Chaenomeles japonica (Maleae, Amygdaloideae, Rosaceae): validation of six Alberts Tīcs’ cultivar names and two new synonyms for the species, Phytotaxa 545 (3), pp. 294-300 : 297

Chaenomeles japonica ‘Alfa’

‘Alfa’— Tīcs 2000: 6, 32 (mentions)

‘Cido Alfa’— Tīcs 2000: 32 (description), new synonym

‘Alfa’—Ikase 2015: 185 (mentions)

‘Alfa’— Almohammad et al. 2020: 14 (mentions)

‘Alfa’—Skrīvele 2020: 351 (mentions)

Description:

The plant forms a 1.5 m wide and 0.5 m tall shrub. The primary branches are on average many, which ensures the normal regeneration of the bush. The primary branches are usually 50–70 cm long, semi-weight down. The secondary branches are few, and they branch at a narrow-angle. The affected branches bend under the weight of the fruit, and the next first and succeeding stage branches produce fruit above them. This ensures production in industrial plantations without pruning old branches. The ideal conditions for harvesting are in rows of large-scale plantations. The leaf-blade is oblong, pointed at the tip, serrated to the stalk. Leaf stalk is short, about 5–8 mm, leaf base is pointed, wedgeshaped. The patches are large, kidney-shaped, serrated or jagged. On the biennial branches, leaves are in bouquets, without bracts with a generative bud in the centre. Fruit surface (quince-shaped) uneven, cylindrical or barrel-shaped, often narrowed towards the stalk. Cup closed, it is common for the cup leaves to fall off. The stalk of the fruit is short (steeped in the fruit). The fruit on branch occur one by one or several together. Fruit weight 65–100 g, 53 × 55 mm, basic colour of the ripe fruit is light yellow. A pronounced new fruit fall occurs in the summer, providing fruits in size above the average and large during the harvest. As the fruit ripens, a layer of cork is formed at the point of attachment of the fruit stalk, which ensures the separation of the ripe fruit from the branch. About 25 % of the fruit is already fallen when ready for harvest. The core of the fruit is five-cotyledon, but often also, the core of 6–8 cuttings is also crammed with many seeds.