Cotoneaster pannosus

Native to northern temperate regions, this genus consists mainly of evergreen or deciduous shrubs, with a few small trees. Its flowers are small and white or pink; the colorful fruits provide food for birds. Larger forms are grown as hedges, while low-growing varieties serve as groundcover. Several species have become naturalized in Australia. One member, Cotoneaster glaucophyllus, forms dense thickets that shade out native plants in New South Wales, Australia; its fruits are poisonous to people and animals. Photographed in Bogotá, Colombia.