The Peking cotoneaster is a rounded shrub that grows up to 10 feet high and wide. Its foliage is a dull green. In May and June it produces white flowers with a pink tinge that attract butterflies. These give way to black fruits in the fall and winter that appeal to birds. Fall foliage is red-orange. This species may be confused with C. lucidus, which has shinier dark green foliage.

Members of the genus Cotoneaster are characterized by a stiff, dense branching structure, small, glossy leaves of fine texture, and abundant fruit in the form of small pomes, which are generally in shades of red/orange but may also be cream or black and may persist into winter. Generally unfussy about soil pH, cotoneasters are reliable and durable shrubs often used as hedges or groundcovers.

The genus Cotoneaster includes at least 90 species of shrubs native to the temperate regions of Europe and Asia, with a concentration in western China. There are no cotoneasters native to the U.S., though a number of species and their hybrids and cultivars flourish in the northern U.S. and Canada. The Chicago Botanic Garden's collections contain almost 20 species among nearly 30 varieties and more than 2,500 individual plants.