Cotoneaster hodjingensis
Earthquake cotoneaster
Family: Rosaceae · Type: Shrub · Not Native
Cotoneaster hodjingensis (Earthquake cotoneaster) is a non-native California shrub in the Rosaceae family, recognized by smallest leaves with inrolled margins, low sprawling habit.
Earthquake cotoneaster is a naturalized shrub found in the central Coast Ranges at elevations below 100 meters, typically growing in shaded, disturbed ground under bird roosts. Flowering in June, this plant produces white flowers with red-purple anthers, approximately 7 to 8 millimeters wide. Growing as a sprawling, evergreen shrub 0.5 to 1 meter tall, it has an open, spreading form. Its leaves are narrowly elliptic, 5 to 10 millimeters long, with shiny upper surfaces and densely woolly undersides, and margins that curl inward. The fruit is a bright red, spherical berry 6 to 8 millimeters wide, which appears from September to February.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 4 sympatric species; smallest leaves with inrolled margins, low sprawling habit
Habitat and range
Habitat: Shaded, disturbed ground under bird roosts
Elevation: < 100 m
Outside California: Washington, native to China
Bloom period
Cotoneaster hodjingensis blooms Jun, fruiting Sep-Feb.
How to tell it apart
vs Pyracantha: Pyracantha has thorns; Cotoneaster is thornless with smooth stems.; vs Heteromeles: Heteromeles has sharp-toothed leaf edges; Cotoneaster has completely smooth leaf margins.; vs Frangula: Frangula has prominent parallel leaf veins curving toward the tip; Cotoneaster has typical pinnate venation.; vs Rhamnus: Rhamnus has finely toothed leaves; Cotoneaster has completely smooth leaf edges.; vs Ceanothus: Ceanothus has three main veins from the leaf base; Cotoneaster has standard single-midrib venation.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cotoneaster hodjingensis native to California?
No. Cotoneaster hodjingensis is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Cotoneaster hodjingensis bloom?
Cotoneaster hodjingensis blooms Jun, fruiting Sep-Feb.
What plant family does Cotoneaster hodjingensis belong to?
Cotoneaster hodjingensis is in the Rosaceae family, genus Cotoneaster.
What habitat does Cotoneaster hodjingensis grow in?
Cotoneaster hodjingensis grows in Shaded, disturbed ground under bird roosts.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-09-30
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.