Cotoneaster lacteus, the late cotoneaster[1] or milkflower cotoneaster,[2] is a species of flowering plant in the genus Cotoneaster of the family Rosaceae, native to the Yunnan Province of China. It is a large evergreen shrub growing to 4 m (13 ft) tall and wide. Clusters of white flowers are followed by masses of small, globose, red fruits (pomes) in autumn.[3] Unusually for this genus, the fruits are avoided by birds, hence garden escapes are rare, and the fruit persists on the plant throughout the winter.[4]
| Cotoneaster lacteus | |
|---|---|
| |
| C. lacteus, flowers | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Rosales |
| Family: | Rosaceae |
| Genus: | Cotoneaster |
| Species: | C. lacteus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Cotoneaster lacteus W.W.Sm.
| |
The Latin specific epithet lacteus refers to the milk-white flowers.[5]
Cotoneaster lacteus may be grown as a hedge. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[6]
References
edit- ^ BSBI List 2007 (xls). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 2015-06-26. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
- ^ NRCS. "Cotoneaster lacteus". PLANTS Database. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 17 January 2016.
- ^ RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants. United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. 2008. p. 1136. ISBN 1405332964.
- ^ Bourne, Val (17 January 2004). "How to grow: Cotoneaster lacteus". The Telegraph. TMG Ltd. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
- ^ Harrison, Lorraine (2012). RHS Latin for gardeners. United Kingdom: Mitchell Beazley. p. 224. ISBN 9781845337315.
- ^ "Cotoneaster lacteus". RHS. Retrieved 5 May 2020.