Cotoneaster

Some 70 species of Cotoneaster are now at large in the British countryside: the single native species is extremely rare and known only from the Great Orme. They are  spread widely because of their great palatability to birds and there are several species that are posing a significant risk to natural habitats including limestone cliffs and grassland. All of which is a great pity as the flowers of each species are a rich source of nectar, a favoured early summer food for honeybees and smaller bumblebees.