Cotoneaster is a genus of flowering plants in the rose family are used in landscaping

Cotoneaster /kəˈtoʊniːˈæstər/ is a genus of flowering plants in the rose family, Rosaceae, native to the Palaearctic region (temperate Asia, Europe, north Africa), with a strong concentration of diversity in the genus in the mountains of southwestern China and the Himalayas. They are related to hawthorns (Crataegus), firethorns (Pyracantha), photinias (Photinia), and rowans (Sorbus). Depending on the species definition used, between 70 and 300 different species of Cotoneaster are described, with many apomictic microspecies treated as species by some authors, but only as varieties by others. The majority of species are shrubs from 0.5–5 m (1.6–16.4 ft) tall, varying from ground-hugging prostrate plants to erect shrubs; a few, notably C. frigidus, are small trees up to 15 m (49 ft) tall and 75 cm (30 in) trunk diameter. The prostrate species are mostly alpine plants growing at high altitudes (e.g. C. integrifolius, which grows at 3,000–4,000 m (9,800–13,100 ft) in the Himalayas), while the larger species occur in scrub and woodland gaps at lower altitudes. The shoots are dimorphic, with long shoots (10–40 cm (3.9–15.7 in) long) producing structural branch growth, and short shoots (0.5–5 cm (– in) long) bearing the flowers; this pattern often developing a ’herringbone’ form of branching. The leaves are arranged alternately, 0.5–15 cm (– in) long, ovate to lanceolate in shape, entire; both evergreen and deciduous species occur. The flowers are produced in late spring through early summer, solitary or in corymbs of up to 100 together. The flower is either fully open or has its five petals half open 5–10 mm (– in) diameter. They may be any shade from white through creamy white to light pink to dark pink to almost red, 10–20 stamens and up to five styles. The fruit is a small pome 5–12 mm (– in) diameter, pink or bright red, orange or even maroon or black when mature, containing one to three (rarely up to five) seeds. Fruit on some species stays on until the following year. Cotoneaster species are used as larval food plants by some Lepidoptera species including grey dagger, mottled umber, short-cloaked moth, winter moth, and hawthorn moth. The flowers attract bees and butterflies and the fruits are eaten by birds. Although relatively few species are native there, in the UK and Ireland, Cotoneaster species are used, along with the related genus Pyracantha, as a valuable source of nectar when often the bees have little other forage in the June gap. Bees adore Cotoneaster. The red berries are also highly attractive to blackbirds and other thrushes. Cotoneasters are very popular garden shrubs, grown for their attractive habit and decorative fruit. Some cultivars are of known parentage, such as the very popular Cotoneaster × watereri Exell (Waterer’s cotoneaster; C. frigidus × C. salicifolius), while others are of mixed or unknown heritage. Many species have escaped from cultivation and become invasive weeds where climatic conditions are suitable for them, such as the many Chinese species naturalised in northwestern Europe. C. glaucophyllus has become an invasive weed in Australia and California.[18] C. simonsii is listed on the New Zealand National Pest Plant Accord preventing its sale and distribution because of its invasiveness. The genus name Cotoneaster derives from cotoneum, a Latin name for the quince, and the suffix -aster, ’resembling’. The name is correctly masculine, though in some older works it was wrongly treated as feminine, resulting in different name endings for many of the species ( integerrima instead of Cotoneaster integerrimus).[3] The genus is often divided into two or more sections, though the situation is complicated by hybridisation:[3] • Cotoneaster sect. Cotoneaster (syn. sect. Orthopetalum). Flowers solitary or up to 6 together; petals forward-pointing, often tinged pink. Mostly smaller shrubs. • Cotoneaster sect. Chaenopetalum. Flowers more than 20 together in corymbs; petals opening flat, creamy white. Mostly larger shrubs. Cotoneaster /kəˈtoʊniːˈæstər/ 是蔷薇科蔷薇科开花植物的一个属，原产于古北区（亚洲温带、欧洲、北非），在中国西南部山区和喜马拉雅山脉中具有高度集中的多样性.它们与山楂 (Crataegus)、火棘 (Pyracantha)、石楠 (Photinia) 和花楸 (Sorbus) 有关。 根据所使用的物种定义，描述了 70 到 300 种不同的枸子，其中许多无融合生殖的微型物种被一些作者视为物种，但仅被其他人视为变种。 大多数物种是 米（ 英尺）高的灌木，从紧贴地面的匍匐植物到直立灌木不等；一些，特别是 C. frigidus，是高达 15 m (49 ft) 高和 75 cm (30 in) 树干直径的小树。匍匐植物主要是生长在高海拔地区的高山植物（例如 C. integrifolius，生长在喜马拉雅山海拔 3,000-4,000 米（9,800-13,100 英尺）），而较大的物种则出现在低海拔的灌木丛和林地间隙中。 枝条是二形的，长枝条（10-40 厘米（ 英寸）长）产生结构分枝生长，短枝条（ 厘米（ 英寸）长）开花；这种模式通常会形成“人字形”分支形式。叶子交替排列，长厘米（英寸），卵形至披针形，全缘；常绿和落叶树种都有。 这些花在春末夏初产生，单生或最多100朵的伞房花。花要么完全开放，要么有五个花瓣半开放，直径为 5-10 毫米（ 英寸）。它们可以是从白色到乳白色到浅粉色到深粉色到几乎红色的任何色调，10-20 个雄蕊和多达五种样式。果实为直径 5-12 毫米（ 英寸）的小梨果，成熟时为粉&am