Cotoneaster lucidus

Cotoneaster lucidus is not often planted in our gardens, despite its ornamental qualities and its great adaptability to various soils and climates. With a moderate development and dense vegetation, rapid growth, and excellent tolerance to pruning, appreciated for its beautiful autumn colours and decorative fruiting, it is most often used as a hedge. Its pale pink flowering in May-June is charming, and its clusters of dark red berries persist for a long time in winter, delighting birds. It should be noted that among all the cotoneasters, it is the one that best withstands wind and sea spray. Also charming in an informal or country hedge, this shrub will not disappoint. 

Cotoneaster lucidus belongs to the rose family. This deciduous shrub, native to northern Asia, is sometimes called Beijing Cotoneaster. Robust and undemanding, it can withstand marked droughts as well as harsh winters, even when growing in poor, rocky soil. It has a bushy, generally rounded and slightly upright habit, supported by spreading, flexible, and weakly arching branches. It has rapid growth and will reach an average height of 2m (6 ft 7 in) with a spread of 1.50m (4 ft 11 in) when mature. Its deciduous foliage is composed of simple, ovate leaves, 2.5 to 6 cm (1 to 2.4 in) long and 2 cm (0.8 in) wide. The thick and leathery leaves are glossy dark green on the upper side, lighter and downy on the underside. The leaves turn yellow to red-purple in autumn before falling. Flowering takes place in May-June depending on the climate, in the form of small clusters composed of tiny pale pink flowers with 5 petals. This fragrant, nectar-rich flowering gives way to clusters of small round fruits that gradually turn dark red in September-October. This fruit is appreciated by birds and small mammals and persists on the branches for a long time in winter. Seed dispersal occurs through them, and it is not uncommon to find young plants scattered randomly in the garden.