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Cotoneaster lacteus (Red Clusterberry) - A 6-8+ foot tall by 6-12 foot wide shrub clothed with leaves that are dark green above and a lighter beige green below. Clusters of small white flowers bloom in spring followed in the fall and winter by bright red globose fruits (technically pomes like an apple).
It does best in full sun where it stays more compact but grows in bright shade as well. Drought tolerant and cold hardy to <15 degrees F. This shrub is most often seen as a large screening plant but it can be trimmed up into a small tree.
Cotoneaster lacteus is native to Tibet and south-central China. The name for the genus is derived from the Latin words 'cotone', an old name for the quince plant, and the suffix 'aster' which means "resembling" in reference to this plant looking like a quince. The specific epithet, meaning "milk" is in reference to the milk-white flowers. This shrub that has long been in cultivation in California where there seems to be two forms, on with considerably larger leaves that are a brighter green and the other with smaller leaves that are olive green. It was long referred to in cultivation as Cotoneaster parneyi and often is referred to as Parney's Cotoneaster but this name is now considered to be "unplaced" so neither a valid name or a synonym for another name. Previously it was treated as a synonym for Cotoneaster lacteus, which itself is now considered to be synonym of Cotoneaster coriaceus, whose specific epithet is a reference to the plant's leathery leaves.
Though this plant received the coveted Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Merit in 1993, it unfortunately will occasionally reseed and spread by birds and small mammals to naturalize and it is considered to be a weedy species in central and north coast California. We grew this plant from 1982 until 2003.
The information displayed on this page about Cotoneaster lacteus is based on our research conducted about this plant from books in our nursery library as well as from information that is provided by reliable online resources. We also have included our own observations made about it as it grew in the nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how the crops of this plant performed in the containers when we had them in our nursery field. We also include comments received from others and welcome hearing from anyone who has information about this plant, particularly if it includes cultural information aiding others to better grow it.
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