Sorbocotoneaster Pozdnjakovii. Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)

Yakutia is very rich in its biodiversity, here you can find prehistoric plant species from the Pleistocene period. In the territory of Yakutia, there are unique plants that are found only in this area.

One such plant is the Sorbocotoneaster pozdnjakovii (lit. Pozdnyakov's rowan-cotoneaster). It is a spontaneous intergeneric hybrid of rowan and cotoneaster, a very rare species from the Pleistocene age, which is under threat of extinction. It is a low decorative shrub suitable for urban landscaping, its berries are edible. The fruit is a round wine-red apple, ripening in late August to September. The flesh is juicy, sweetish, with the taste and aroma of rowan, but without bitterness.

Sorbocotoneaster pozdnjakovii is a decorative plant. It attracts attention throughout the summer, but especially in its second half and autumn, when large bright red fruits ripen on the bush, and the leaves turn crimson-red. Sorbocotoneaster pozdnjakovii is equally attractive in winter, when white snow caps cover clusters of bright berries.

This unique shrub was discovered in 1951 in the valley of the Aldan River, between the mouths of the Timpton and Uchura rivers, in the undergrowth of a pine forest by the forester, biogeocenologist, ecologist, and professor Lev Pozdnyakov. This species was named in his honor. It blooms in late June to early July, and the fruits ripen in late August to September. It does not form thickets, but viable root offspring appear near the mother plant if the bush is broken. It is a perennial plant that can delight with its decorative fruits for many years.

It has been cultivated in Russia for more than 40 years. Winter-hardy, shade-tolerant, can grow on rocky soils, and is not demanding of moisture. It is grown in botanical gardens in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Yakutsk, and other regions.