''Cotoneaster lucidus'', the shiny cotoneaster, or hedge cotoneaster, is a deciduous, medium-sized shrub with long, spreading branches reaching heights (and breadths) of 6' to 10'. It is native to parts of northern Asia, and adapted to tolerate colder weather (to zone 4). ''C. lucidus'' was described in 1856 by Diederich Franz Leonhard von Schlechtendal. Some authorities consider it to be a synonym of ''

Cotoneaster acutifolius ''Cotoneaster acutifolius'', the Peking cotoneaster, is a species of flowering plant in the family Rosaceae Rosaceae (), the rose family, is a medium-sized family of flowering plants that includes 4,828 known species in 91 genera. The name ...

'', the Peking cotoneaster.

Identification

Leaves and branches

The leaves of ''Cotoneaster lucidus'' are dark green (changing yellow to red in autumn), simple, ovate, about 1" to 2.5" long and up to 1" wide, having pubescence on their undersides and growing in an alternate pattern along its stems. Branches are tolerant of pruning.

Flowers

Flower A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...

s are a pale-pink, small and clustered blooming in early June. Flower buds are imbricate, appressed with loose exposed outer scales.

Fruit

''C lucidus'' grows an attractive, blackish pome

fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which flowering plants (also known as angiosperms) disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particu ...

, about half an inch in diameter which ripens between September and October.

Bark

The

bark Bark may refer to: * Bark (botany), an outer layer of a woody plant such as a tree or stick * Bark (sound), a vocalization of some animals (which is commonly the dog) Places * Bark, Germany * Bark, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, Poland Arts, ...

is tan in color, with

lenticel A lenticel is a porous tissue consisting of cells with large intercellular spaces in the periderm of the secondarily thickened organs and the bark of woody stems and roots of dicotyledonous flowering plants. It functions as a pore, providing a ...

s on slender stems which have a pattern resembling fishbone.

Roots

Despite its sparse root system, ''Cotoneaster lucidus'' holds up well in persistent winds thus making it a good hedging plant. It grows particularly well in well-drained, loose

soil Soil, also commonly referred to as earth or dirt, is a mixture of organic matter, minerals, gases, liquids, and organisms that together support life. Some scientific definitions distinguish ''dirt'' from ''soil'' by restricting the former te ...

, but soil pH can vary.

Propagation

''Cotoneaster lucidus'' can be propagated by cuttings or by seed, with stratification necessary in the case of the latter.

Pests

''Cotoneaster lucidus'' is prone to

fireblight Fire blight, also written fireblight, is a contagious disease affecting apples, pears, and some other members of the family Rosaceae. It is a serious concern to apple and pear producers. Under optimal conditions, it can destroy an entire orchard ...

leaf spot A leaf spot is a limited, discoloured, diseased area of a leaf that is caused by fungal, bacterial or viral plant diseases, or by injuries from nematodes, insects, environmental factors, toxicity or herbicides. These discoloured spots or lesions ...

scale insect Scale insects are small insects of the order Hemiptera, suborder Sternorrhyncha. Of dramatically variable appearance and extreme sexual dimorphism, they comprise the infraorder Coccomorpha which is considered a more convenient grouping than the ...

s and

spider mite Spider mites are members of the Tetranychidae family, which includes about 1,200 species. They are part of the subclass Acari (mites). Spider mites generally live on the undersides of leaves of plants, where they may spin protective silk webs, a ...

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q162750 lucidus Plants described in 1856