Cotoneaster glaucophyllus.

Thank you!

Now I can bring them to Fronderosa.... hehehe

The small-leaved, spreading plant grown under this name in gardens would seem to actually belong to another species. Search Google Images to see in an instant that two different plants are being known by this same species name. References like Hillier (2002) appear to be describing the taller, larger-leaved plant as C. glaucophyllus. Probably Great Plant Picks is calling the small-leaved one C. glaucophyllus hort. (of gardens) because it has been noticed that it is not the true species.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cotoneaster glaucophyllus hort.

Thank you, if I get really ambitious I'll remember to label it that way. It's a great plant pick hmm, I'll have to bring it to the NHS sale too.

Don't forget to also bring the Weeping Alaska Cedars.

I'm not certain it can be so succinctly distinguished as a second or separate species. Chinese cotoneasters seem to be plagued by random natural hybridization and the taxonomy is confused at best as a result. The attached link should shed some additional light, as four varietals of C. glaucophyllus are acknowledged. Regardless, the plant in question is very likely one of the varietals and can be reasonably labeled as Cotoneaster glaucophyllus (or C. glaucophyllus HORT as per GPP) pending definitive verification as one of the varietals. If you wish to go to the effort :-)

Here is a link that might be useful: Chinese cotoneasters

For a proper disclaimer I'll just copy this whole thread onto my plant tags in tiny writing.

Yeah I'll try to remember to bring some dwarf blue Arctic willows too - thanks.

Since we're talking cotoneasters and not wines there are no "varietals" involved. If you look at the key on the first page of the paper linked to above all four varieties of Cotoneaster glaucophyllus treated there have leaves ranging beyond the size of those on the plant cultivated here and too many flowers in the inflorescences.

Varietal: of, relating to, or characterizing a variety ; also : being a variety in distinction from an individual or species. Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary

Hmmmmm.....don't see where either wine OR grapes are necessarily involved. And the plants I've seen grown and labeled as such here do indeed have leaves that correspond in size to 1.5-3cm. Haven't personally counted all the flowers.......have you?

Do you work at being contrary or does it just come naturally?

more curmudgeonly than contrary is how i read bboy posts. with a whiff of lovable in there.

Varietal or variety. As a writer, I learned long ago that what you call a thing has power, and what it gets called, is what it becomes.

A cultivar is what I would name the 4 variants of this one species. Or is a cultivar just flowers and veggies? Please tell me.

Taxonomically, 'cultivar' and 'variety' are distinct terms.

A cultivar (from CULTIvated VARiety) is a cultivated plant that has been selected and given a unique name because of desired characteristics (size, growth habit, flowering attributes, coloring, variegation, disease resistance, etc.). It is distinct from similar plants of that species and when propagated it retains those characteristics. It follows the botanical name and is always included in single quotation marks and is capitalized - e.g. Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Nana Lutea'.

A botanical variety is a naturally occurring (as opposed to cultivated) and morphologically distinct subdivision of a species officially ranking between subspecies and forma. It is indicated in botanical nomenclature by its position following the species name and is usually abbreviated as var. e.g. Euphorbia amygdaloides var. robbiae.