This is quite a large genus of shrubs, ranging from a few trees to some very dwarf and/or prostrate alpines. They have small pink or white flowers, much visited by bees and other insects, and fruits that are usually red, which are valuable food for birds. Most species are evergreen, with shiny, deep green, small leaves, but there are also deciduous species, which tend to have larger, lighter green and less shiny leaves.

Cotoneaster ogisui is a recently described species, found by the Japanese plant hunter Mikinori Ogisu in Sichuan. It grows to become a small tree, which is excellent at most times of the year, with its large, glossy leaves, typical white flowers in early summer, but is at its best in autumn, when the branches droop under the weight of the many bright red fruit, which are large for a Cotoneaster.