Swedish cotoneaster

Shrubs, 0.4–0.6 m. Stems ± erect or ± procumbent, arching, ˂ends rooting˃; branches spiraled, green proximally, purple-black distally, initially densely strigose. Leaves persistent; petiole ˂often red˃, 1–3 mm, strigose; blade elliptic, 10–27 x 4–12 mm, coriaceous, base cuneate, margins revolute, veins 4–7, superficial, apex obtuse or acute, rarely emarginate, abaxial surfaces gray-green, initially strigose-villous, ˂midrib often red˃, adaxial dark green, shiny, not glaucous, flat between lateral veins, initially sparsely long-haired pilose. Inflorescences on fertile shoots 8–40 mm with 3 or 4 leaves, 1 or 2(–6)-flowered, compact. Pedicels 1–3.5 mm, initially sparsely pilose. Flowers 12–13 mm diam.; buds white; hypanthium cupulate, initially sparsely pilose; sepals: margins villous, apex acute, surfaces villous; petals spreading, white, glabrous; stamens 15–20, filaments white, anthers dark red-purple; styles 2–4(or 5). Pomes red-orange to scarlet, obovoid to subglobose, [4–]7–11 x 7–10 mm, shiny, not glaucous, glabrous or sparsely villous; sepals depressed to slightly ascending, glabrous or sparsely villous; navel open; style remnants at apex. Pyrenes 2–4(or 5) (always some with more than 2). 2n = 34 (Germany).

Flowering May–Jun; fruiting Oct–May. Hedges, edges, paths, urban waste ground; 0–200 m; introduced; B.C., Que.; Oreg., Wash.; Europe.

Cotoneaster ×suecicus is of garden origin, presumably a cross between C. conspicuus and C. dammeri.