AusBonsai

This was sold to me as a cotoneaster seedling. But it doesn't look anything like the other cottoneasters I've seen on here. Lower down it has compact growth but the new growth is very leggy despite the full sunlight it gets most of the day. I trimmed the leggy growth off when I got it but it's grown back the same.

Beano wrote:This was sold to me as a cotoneaster seedling. But it doesn't look anything like the other cottoneasters I've seen on here. Lower down it has compact growth but the new growth is very leggy despite the full sunlight it gets most of the day. I trimmed the leggy growth off when I got it but it's grown back the same.

It is a Corokia cotoneaster, a New Zealand shrub. Small yellow flowers.

Grant

Thank you!

The confusion arises because of its second name - cotoneaster, but as Grant has already told us it is from the Corokia family, so not actually related to any cotoneasters. I assume it was named because the leaves reminded the botanist of plants from cotoneaster family. Common name is wire netting bush because of the zigzag growth of new shoots and very open habit.
Regularly seen as bonsai starters but the open habit does nothing for me as bonsai. With diligent pruning and pinching you can actually get a much more dense growth pattern.

With age can get a decent trunk as well.

Grant

And the flowers smell like coconut suntan lotion.