Cotoneaster Flashcards
Cotoneaster
cotoneaster
Why so big a difference of how many species botanists list?
Hybridization and apomictic genus
Apomixes
Asexual propagation via seeds; genetically identical to itself
Varieties
often occur in nature and most varieties are true to type
Cultivars
not necessarily true to type, often vegetatively propagated
Cotoneaster lucidus/ C. acutifolius var. lucidus
Peking or hedge cotoneaster
Hedge cotoneaster
a very common hedge plant (sheared or unsheared)
Hedge cotoneaster- buds
buds very pubescent
alternate
new growth green to brownish and pubescent
Hedge cotoneaster- leaves
ovate to elliptic
short petiole
acute leaf tip
broadly acute at base
petiole pubescent
dark green and shiny above (top of leaf)
lighter green and wooly below (bottom of leaf)
alternate bud formation on new growth
older growth=spurs
Hedge cotoneaster- flowers
pinkish white, not very showy
3 to 8 flowered cyme
Hedge cotoneaster- fruit
small dark purple pome
not edible
birds spread plants around
spurs
calyx at bottom
Pome
fruit formed from an inferior ovary
Hedge cotoneaster- fall colour
fall colour bright red and a reason for their popularity brown hairy stem and buds; small stipules can be present
Hedge cotoneaster disease
fireblight
Fireblight
a major disease on hedge cotoneasters
Bacteria Erwinia amylovora causes the disease
affects over 130 plant species in the Rosaceae family worldwide
Cotoneaster integerrimus
European cotoneaster
European cotoneaster
Sprawling thick, very branchy shrub
arching branches
left unpruned they will be taller than hedge cotoneaster
Way to ID: arching branches
European cotoneaster- bud
stipules present but shed early; new growth and buds quite brown pubescent
European cotoneaster- flowers
white
two to four flowered cymes
produced on short spurs
European cotoneaster- fruit
fruit is pome
lots of fruit is common; not edible
European cotoneaster- fall colour
orange- red/bronze/purplish autumn colouration
European cotoneaster- leaf
broad-ovate or elliptic-ovate
obtuse/acute leaf tip
rounded at base
petioles often pubescent
Cotoneaster adpressus
creeping cotoneaster
Creeping cotoneaster
ground hugging shrub with shiny green leaves
very ornamental
