Cotoneaster frigidus Wall. ex Lindl.
Himalayan tree-cotoneaster
The tree tag number relates to the black tree-maintenance tags, usually fixed on the trunk, 2 to 3m above ground level.
The Cotoneaster genus is in the Rosaceae family. It is huge genus with probably over 200 species, maybe as many as 400. The cultivated species and their varieties are described as being “much confused”. The tall cotoneaster trees in the Botanic Gardens (both near the Kelvin statue and in the Spring Garden) appear to be Cotoneaster frigidus. According to Hillier most of this species seen in gardens are hybrid seedlings belonging to the ‘Watereri’ group. The species was introduced from the Himalaya in 1824. Award of Garden Merit from the RHS in 1966.
Photos taken in Belfast Botanic Gardens in 2017. Copyright: Friends of Belfast Botanic Gardens.