Chaenomeles Japonica

[Von5]

Clearly my first post went down like a lead balloon so I am trying again as am sure someone must have one of these ....

I am trying to find a plant/shrub that will climb a 5' foot fence but be able to keep it under general control. I have decided that I want dark red ie. crimson flowers in the spring to offset the colours around it and wondered about a Chaenomeles Japonica 'Crimson and Gold'. I wondered if anyone had one and could verify that the flowers are indeed crimson - not red/tomato red/scarlet etc. I have been caught out like this before and bought plants which are not truly the colour I was after as printing techniques do not always accurately show the colour. Thanks anyone

[Fanny]

Why don't you just use a Climbing rose if you have the Sunshine for it. You can get just the right shade if you buy in the Late Spring when the Stores have 2 or 3 blooms on each plant.That's what I would do. Crimson is weird in that you have to see it to believe it and the rose in crimson is absolutely Stunningly Beautiful! It wll definitely cover that wall too!

[echinosum]

I did a google images search for chaenomeles crimson and gold. Its correct name seems to be Chaenomeles x superba, not japonica. That gives you a wide range of photos to look at. One or two pictures were of something else, so you need to filter those out. Considering the range of pictures, it looks pretty much the same colour as bog standard chaenomeles to me, the gold bit referring to some unusually bright anthers in the centre of the flower. But the colour of flowers does depend upon the precise conditions under which they grow. You should be aware that they only flower for a fairly short period in the spring. The previous poster's suggestion of getting a rose instead would give you a longer flowering period, if you choose the right kind of rose.

[Von5]

Thanks for help both replies. I had thought of a rose as would have lots of sun but it might be worth going back to that idea. I have a honeysuckle nearby and didn't want the colour to 'overrule' it hence getting something that flowered early but a dark red rose would enhance the honeysuckle as well if the rose flowered at the same time. Thanks