Cotoneaster

Synonym: Cotoneaster Medik.

Cotoneaster (Cotoneáster) – a genus of non-spiny shrubs, less often small trees or subshrubs in the Rosaceae family. The genus name comes from the Greek word 'cotonea' — quince, 'aster' – having the appearance, due to similarity with quince leaves and one species of Cotoneaster. Species are distributed in Eurasia, North Africa and Asia (except Japan). Most species originate from western China, the Himalayas and Tibet. Present in botanical garden collections since 1864.

Representatives of the genus are deciduous or evergreen non-spiny densely branched shrubs, less often small trees or subshrubs 2-3 m in height. The crown is dense. Grows slowly. Lifespan up to 50 years.

Leaves simple, alternate, small, oblong-elliptic, ovate to nearly round, with short petioles, arranged along the entire length of the stem, entire-margined, most often glossy, leathery, glabrous above and often woolly-pubescent beneath, dark green in summer, reddening in autumn.

Flowers small, white or pinkish, collected in racemose or corymbose inflorescences of 3-20 flowers or solitary, on short hairy pedicels. The bases of the petals, sepals and stamens are fused into a fleshy floral tube. There are 5 sepals. Petals are small, not exceeding the sepals in length, spreading or erect. The inner walls of the carpels become stony as the fruit forms, thus forming stones (pyrenes). A good honey plant. Blooms in May-June.

Fruits small, red or black, globose, obovoid or ovoid pomes with 2-5 stones. Flesh mealy, inedible. Seeds slightly protrude from the flesh and are covered by sepals turned upward. Fruits ripen in September – October.

All parts of the plant, especially the fruits, contain poisonous substances.

Species: the genus comprises about 240 species. About 80 species are used in landscape design.

• Cotoneaster acutifolius Turcz. — sharp-leaved cotoneaster
• Cotoneaster adpressus Boiss. — creeping cotoneaster
• Cotoneaster apiculatus Rehd. et E.H.Wilson — pointed cotoneaster
• Cotoneaster bullatus Boiss. — bullate cotoneaster
• Cotoneaster dammeri C.K.Schneid. — Dammer's cotoneaster
• Cotoneaster divaricatus Rehd. et E.H.Wilson —

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