Cotoneaster is a genus of over 200 species of deciduous, semi-evergreen and evergreen shrubs and trees from woodland and rocky areas in the Northern Temperate regions of Europe, Asia and North Africa.

Cotoneaster microphyllus or Smallleaf Cotoneaster as it is commonly known, is a stiffly branched, compact evergreen shrub with ovate dark green leaves 5mm to 10mm long. During summer solitary white flowers are borne that are followed by red/pink fruit. At the beginning of autumn the leaves turn from dark green to red.