Cotoneaster

This hardy, colorful shrub with the strange sounding name is not blooming now. However, its small, bright red-orange berries are lighting up the local gardens in parks and homes as we speak! (11/20/2013). Although very colorful, the berries are poisonous to humans, but you may see hungry birds nibbling on them in Winter. Cotoneaster (pronounced "ko-tony-aster") are native to Asia and most species are considered semi-evergreen.

This "Tom Thumb" Cotoneaster in our yard is about 12 years old.

The bright berries are about 1/4 inch in diameter.

There may be as many as 300 species of Cotoneaster (this is the genus name as well) in addition to garden cultivars. In our yard, the Tom Thumb variety (Cotoneaster adpressus) makes a nice addition as a ground cover that can stand up to dogs and deer alike! It has tiny white flowers in the late Spring that attract bees and butterflies; the red berries appear in Fall and can last through Winter. Some of the leaves will turn red as well, before dropping off for the winter.

Some of the leaves turn red and drop.

These plants are members of the Rosaceae (Rose) family and in the past 40 years have been widely planted in gardens, leading to escapes into the natural areas. The escapees are not considered a problem in most areas, but they can compete for moisture and light. The odd common name and genus name, derives from the Latin "resembles quince," a tree that produces a pear-like fruit. It's hard for me to see any resemblance at all in these two genus, but perhaps there is more to the story...

Spring flowering Cotoneaster (File Photo)

Al the Dal surveys a large stand of Cotoneaster at Rood Bridge Park