I wandered into this today - at eye level, sprouting from within a country hedge (not the same plant). I love its muted colours - can anyone tell me what it is?

A cotoneaster?...acuminatus?

Autumn olive?

I was thinking Cotoneaster also. Maybe this one Cotoneaster bullatus

https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/...

Thank you for your suggestions - looking them up, I think I may have found it - cotoneaster franchetii. The berries are definitely more pear-shaped than round.

If the identification is correct we need your image in the ATP database where there is currently no image of the Cotoneaster franchetii.

What about a Viburnum? Not sure what one.

I agree with Julia....a Viburnum.

Ok, now I'm unsure again! Here's a link to the website that made me believe the plant is cotoneaster franchetii:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

but I am in no doubt that lots of ATP members know a mountain more than I do about plants, so I'm more than happy to wait for a considered decision! Thanks to everyone for their expertise.

Just for the fun of it google Viburnum burkwoodie and look at the berries. It and the Cotoneaster sure look alike. Viburnum burkwoodie is very fragrant when it blooms in the spring if you are still trying to solve the mystery then.

This is Viburnum burkwoodii for comparison

http://www.newwoodtrees.co.uk/...

Lots of different Viburnum with red berries.


Is your location in Europe?
Leaves are wrong on this picture, so not this one. Wish I had to screens when doing this.

The leaves are matt and not at all shiny, and the berries are more pear-shaped than oval (fatter at bottom than at top), so I don't think it's the viburnum burkwoodii. But if all else fails, I'll happily give it a sniff next spring!

PS yes, I'm in Europe (England).

http://www.genuinegardenservic...
I found this in a search. Looks like the experts at ATP has this ID correct.

Possibly Cotoneaster franchetii ..

https://www.google.co.uk/searc...

https://www.best4hedging.co.uk...

https://www.crowders.co.uk/buy...

http://www.mclarensnurserieslt...

Many thanks to everyone for their helpful suggestions and pointers. I'm fairly sure now that the plant is cotoneaster franchetii; partly from perusing Janet's links and also from the detail on an Australian web page. Interesting - in England the plant is sold as an attractive garden shrub; in parts of Australia it is banned as an invasive pest. Perhaps the plant behaves better in a cooler climate? The Australian website said that each berry contains three seeds, so I picked a couple and opened them and there they were - 3 seeds per berry.

http://keyserver.lucidcentral....

If people agree on the identification I'll upload my photo to the plant database as suggested by Greene. Thanks again.

Plants which are considered invasive in warmer climates don't behave the same here cliftoncat. By warmer, that can mean hot summers where winters are much colder than we have such as is experienced on large continents like America and mainland Europe.

The first photo showing berries on your link is spot on for your plant, so yes I would say it is Cotoneaster franchetii.

@JRsbugs aka Janet Super Sleuth knows her stuff.
I make random guesses; if Super Sleuth says the ID is correct you can be sure!