Species
Cotoneaster perpusillus
Etymology
Cotoneaster: From cotoneus an old Latin name for the quince, and possibly aster, corruption of adinstar 'resembling', i.e. quince-like
Common Name(s)
Rockspray cotoneaster
Authority
Cotoneaster perpusillus (C.K. Schneid.) Flinck & Hylmö
Family
Rosaceae
Brief Description
Decumbent to appressed shrub, dense branching in herring-bone pattern; leaves slightly folded, apiculate.
Flora Category
Vascular - Exotic
Structural Class
Dicotyledonous Trees & Shrubs
Synonyms
Cotoneaster horizontalis var. perpusillus C.K. Schneid.
Distribution
Casual, with a few scattered records from probably abandoned garden sites.
Habitat
Needs very good drainage; drought resistant once established.
Similar Taxa
Compared with C. horizontalis (subsp. horizontalis), C. perpusillus has more of a herringbone look from its dense regular pinnate branching; leaves slightly folded (C. horizontalis leaves tend to be flatter); leaves apiculate cf. C. horizontalis in which the leaf tips are rounded.
Flower Colours
Red / Pink
Fruiting
Can be prolific; scarlet
Year Naturalised
1984, CHR 481276
Reason for Introduction
Ornamental
This page last updated on 27 Oct 2019