Cotoneaster plant height. Cotoneaster: planting and care, reproduction and types
Cotoneaster - deciduous or evergreen shrub, found very often in the landscaping of the European part of Russia. Cotoneaster leaves are simple, alternate, ovate, dark green in summer, turning red in autumn.
The flowers are pink or white, small, in racemes, corymbs or solitary. Cotoneaster fruits are small, black or red. Cotoneaster grows slowly. There are 40 species in the genus.
The main attraction of cotoneasters is the combination of strong branching, original foliage and varied growth forms. Small pink or white flowers are almost not decorative, but are excellent honey plants.
Cotoneaster is also prized for its thick crown of shiny green leaves that turn red in the fall. Cotoneaster is simply irreplaceable when creating a hedge, because it is easy to form, retains its shape for a long time and can be transplanted at any time.
In addition to this, by the end of summer, the decorative effect of cotoneaster increases due to the red or black fruits that hang on the branches for a long time. Cotoneaster fruits are not poisonous; birds show great interest in them.
Frost-resistant cotoneaster and drought-resistant. It develops well in the city, as it is dust and gas resistant and has little demand for soil fertility. Grows well in light and in slight shade.
Many types of cotoneaster can be used for decorative groups, for alpine hills, for hedges, for planting on slopes, but a small number of cotoneaster species are used in culture.
Only 3 species - black cotoneaster, brilliant, common - have great winter hardiness and are resistant to weather in the middle zone.
Cotoneaster aronia
Winter-hardy in the middle zone. Under natural conditions it grows from Central Europe to China, including Central Asia and the Caucasus. Chokeberry cotoneaster grows in forests of various types. Protected in nature reserves.
Cotoneaster aronia is a shrub 2 m in height with red-brown shoots and has black fruits. The leaves are ovate, 5 cm long, green above, white-tomentose below. From the age of 5 it begins to bloom and bear fruit annually. Flowering lasts 25 days. The spherical fruits of the black cotoneaster ripen in October, turning from brown to black.
Black cotoneaster is not picky about soil and grows well in the shade and in the city. Easily tolerates transplantation, seeds and propagated by cuttings. In addition to decorative purposes, black cotoneaster is a good honey plant.
Cotoneaster brilliant
The homeland of brilliant cotoneaster is Eastern Siberia. This species grows singly or in groups in bushes.
Cotoneaster brilliant - shrub, 2 m in height. The leaves are pointed, shiny, green on top; in autumn the leaves are purple.
Pink cotoneaster flowers are collected in 3-8-flowered inflorescences. The brilliant cotoneaster blooms for about 30 days in May. Spectacular black fruits, shiny, with brown, tasteless pulp, are stored on the bushes until late autumn. The cotoneaster bears fruit, shining from the age of 4.
The brilliant cotoneaster is winter-hardy, shade-tolerant, and unpretentious to soils. Propagated vegetatively and by seeds.
The brilliant cotoneaster is perfect for hedges, as well as for planting on the edges of lawns.
Common cotoneaster
Under natural conditions, this cotoneaster can be found from the Baltic states to the North Caucasus. Grows on mountain slopes.
Common cotoneaster is an upright, branched, deciduous shrub about 2 m in height. Young shoots of cotoneaster with woolly drooping, then become bare. Broadly ovate leaves, green above, smooth, shiny, felt below. Cotoneaster flowers are pink and white. The fruits are red.
The common cotoneaster is undemanding to the soil and grows well on calcareous soils. It is characterized by high winter hardiness. Grows well in sunny places. Decorative in fruits that last until autumn. Common cotoneaster is used for planting in hedges.
Cotoneaster horizontal
Grows in Central China. Horizontal cotoneaster grows on mountain slopes.
The name of this species indicates its growth. Cotoneaster horizontalis is a shrub up to 50 cm tall, with branched shoots spread out, almost pressed to the ground. Its small, round, green leaves are beautiful; in autumn they turn purple.
Flowers are paired or single, sessile, with pink-reddish petals. Horizontal cotoneaster blooms from May to June. The fruits are spherical, about 5 mm in diameter, shiny, red, ripen in September and remain in abundance until December, giving the bush a special decorative appearance.
This type of cotoneaster is demanding on the soil. It grows strongly and quickly expands in width, the diameter is more than 1 m. One of the most elegant species. A beautiful ground cover plant, for strengthening slopes, for rocky gardens, cascading gardening.
Dummer cotoneaster
It grows naturally in Central China.
The creeping shoots of this cotoneaster are pressed to the ground and take root. The shoots branch in one plane, rising 20 cm, and grow to the sides to a distance of more than 1.5 m. Dummer cotoneaster has leathery green leaves.
The leaves of Dummer's cotoneaster are very small, up to 2 cm long. The reddish flowers sitting on the branches are beautiful. In autumn, in September, countless ripening coral-red fruits are very beautifully combined with shiny foliage. In late autumn, the bush becomes even more beautiful thanks to its purple leaves and bright fruits.
Dummer's cotoneaster propagates by layering, cuttings and seeds. The shrub is drought-resistant and does not freeze under snow. Grows well in poor sandy soil. Loves a sunny location and tolerates slight shade. It grows quickly.
To create the ideal design of a garden or local area, many owners of land plots think about what species are best to arrange on their own. Among the abundance of varieties of park plants presented, you can easily find a representative of the flora from any geographical area. However, most of them never achieve much popularity, while some create a real stir around themselves.
Such overly popular types of domestic garden areas include does not differ in particular brightness of colors and individuality. It also cannot be called recognizable at first sight. However, this does not at all cause problems on the way to the development of new territories. So why Is horizontal cotoneaster so popular in landscape design? We have to figure this out and also find out what conditions are necessary in order to grow this plant in the garden.
Description and characteristics
Cotoneaster horizontal belongs to decorative types, which represent family Pink. In its natural environment, it is distributed mainly in China. This graceful plant in the wild is the best decoration for lifeless rocky slopes. The main distinctive feature of the shrub lies in its name. It is primarily a horizontally creeping species characterized by evergreen foliage.
The size of the plant is quite miniature, its height does not exceed 70 cm, and its width is more than 1.5 meters. The shoots of the bush are quite branched and create a dense crown. Each shoot is covered with small and rounded dark green leaves, which change to a characteristic purple hue closer to autumn. The flowering period of this species begins at the end of May and lasts for 3 weeks, while the shoots are covered with small, almost invisible paired or single flowers of a delicate pinkish-white hue. After flowering, bright red small fruits appear on the bush, which in most cases can remain on the plant until next spring.
Did you know? The Latin name for cotoneaster is “cotoneaster,” which translated from ancient Greek means “similar to.” This name arose due to the fact that the leaves of one of the species of this plant resemble the foliage of quince.
Among the many representatives, the most popular among gardeners is cotoneaster horizontal variegatus ( Variegatus). An adult plant is small in size, its height does not exceed 30 cm in height and 1.5 m in width. This variety of shrub has gained particular popularity due to its amazing aesthetic colors in the autumn. With the onset of cold weather, the green foliage changes its color to an exquisite burgundy with a delicate white-cream border. This feature of the bush gives the garden a special warm and cozy atmosphere during the cold season.
Advantages and application
Horizontal cotoneaster has a fairly wide range of uses in the garden. It is recommended to plant the plant in rockeries, near retaining walls. This shrub can also be used as a lawn species. The creeping structure of the shoots allows it to completely cover its habitat and become the dominant species there.
Main function of the plant- this is the complete filling of the space of the lower or middle tier. The shrub is planted en masse or as single plants. A border made of cotoneaster has become especially popular. To do this, young plants are planted along the contour of the fence at a distance of 30 cm from each other. After 2 years of free growth, you can safely begin the process of forming a hedge using garden shears. Gradually the bush grows and within a few years a full-fledged living fence is formed. 
Landing Features
In order to arrange a cotoneaster bush in your garden, you will have to be patient and hardworking. Despite the fact that this plant is unpretentious, planting it outdoors requires considerable effort. The optimal period for this process will be early spring. 
Important! The cotoneaster must be planted before buds form on it, otherwise the plant may not take root in its new location.
Selecting a location
The plant prefers places with diffused light or partial shade; the lack of light does not affect the decorativeness of the bush, so it develops safely at any intensity of solar radiation. However, the most aesthetically advantageous specimens develop exclusively in conditions of good lighting and the correct combination of tiers in the garden. 
Soil for cotoneaster
Soil is one of the first difficulties that you will encounter when planting cotoneaster. The bush will not be accepted well in all conditions. The ideal solution would be to add a specially prepared substrate of sand, peat compost and turf, which is prepared in proportions 2:1:2, into the hole before planting; it is also important to add lime to the soil at the rate of 300 grams per 1 square meter. The addition of this contributes to almost 100% survival rate of the seedling. Well, the main soil must have good water permeability, since in conditions of stagnant moisture the shrub develops slowly and may soon even die. 
Planting rules for the species
There are several ways to cultivate cotoneaster in a summer cottage: either All of them provide a full-fledged opportunity to root this plant on your plot, but not each of them is highly effective.
Seeds
Sowing seeds is the least effective way to grow cotoneaster, since they do not have a high degree of germination. At the most promising estimates, only 60 percent of the obtained seeds will produce a full-fledged viable sprout. In early October, after the fruits are fully ripe, they are carefully picked and the pulp and peel are removed.
The resulting seeds are poured into a container with water. Those that settle to the bottom are suitable for sowing, the rest should be discarded. Next, the seeds are sown in the soil. In the period from late May to early June, seedlings appear, which are thinned out if necessary. Only after 2-3 years, when the seedlings have become stronger, can they be transplanted to a permanent place. It is important not to forget to pinch the top. 
Important!Cotoneaster seeds should be sown in the fall, since for favorable germination they must spend the winter in the soil. Without this, their similarity decreases several times.
Cuttings
Propagation by young cuttings is the most effective way to grow a cotoneaster bush in open ground. For this purpose, planting material is prepared in early June. Cuttings are cut from young shoots, after which they are soaked for a day in water or a special solution for rooting. After this, the cuttings are planted in open, loose soil at an angle of 45°. For rooting, it is best to use a special substrate, which is prepared from equal parts of sand and the material planted in the ground is covered with the cut off top of a plastic bottle with an open neck. The rooted cuttings are transplanted to a permanent place next spring. 
By layering
To get a new plant thanks to layering, in early spring the upper edges of young shoots are dug in to a depth of about 10-15 cm. To do this, small holes are created in the soil near the plant, at the bottom of which it is necessary to pour a specially prepared substrate of equal parts of peat and sand. After this, the layering is forgotten for a year and only next spring the rooted shoots are cut off and transplanted to a permanent place. 
Vaccination
Grafting of horizontal cotoneaster- this is the most extraordinary way of cultivating this shrub. To do this, the plant is grown on a special rod made from the trunk of any tree-like plant of the Rosaceae family. The procedure begins in early spring. A cotoneaster sprout is grafted onto the top of the trunk, after which all side branches are removed. Before the procedure, the sprout undergoes special preparation: an oblique cut is cut on its upper part, and a wedge is cut on the lower part.
Important! To avoid rotting of the top of the grafted cutting, the cut must be treated with garden varnish.
Within a month, the grafted part takes root and begins to grow actively. From this moment on, you need to carefully monitor the growth process and trim the plant to form an elegant hat. After just 2 years, a full-fledged crown is formed on a trunk with its characteristic elegant head, which any garden can be proud of. 
How to care for a plant?
For the most part, caring for this type of shrub is not difficult, since it is not whimsical and does not require special knowledge for this.
Watering
Cotoneaster is a species that does not tolerate excess moisture, so this plant does not need constant watering, even in case of drought. The procedure can be performed no more than once a month. However, in dry and hot summers, it is still recommended to water the shrub more often; for this, the amount of water for watering should not exceed 8 buckets (for an adult plant). In this case, the frequency should be once every 2 weeks. After watering, it is necessary to loosen the soil at the base to a depth of about 15 cm and, if possible, eliminate 
Fertilizer
The plant does not need additional nutrients, however in spring it is necessary for cotoneaster. The first time the procedure is carried out in early spring, with the onset of the first sunny days. A special solution is used for this. To prepare it, dissolve 25 g in 10 liters of water.
Cotoneaster multiflorum- Сotoneaster multiflorus Bge. It is found naturally in the Caucasus, Central Asia and Western Siberia, and Western China. It grows singly or in small groups in forests, as well as in bush thickets. Protected in nature reserves. In cultivation it is found in botanical gardens in Europe.
Semi-evergreen shrub up to 3 m tall, with thin, tomentose, curved branches when young. Broadly ovate leaves up to 5 cm long, silver-gray in spring, dark green in summer, purple-red in autumn. Less frost-hardy than brilliant cotoneaster. Quite large white flowers (up to 1 cm), similar in shape to serviceberry flowers, are collected in 6 - 20 corymbose inflorescences and make it very spectacular during the flowering period lasting from 16 to 25 days. Bright red, abundant, spherical fruits enhance its decorative value in autumn. Fruits from 5 to 6 years of age. The fruits ripen in August.
Frost-resistant and drought-resistant. For successful development it needs fertile and lime-rich soil. Propagated by seeds. The seed sowing rate is 4 - 6 g per meter. Very good in single and edge plantings. Since 1879, it has been widespread throughout the European part of Russia.
It has a beautifully fruited form (f. calicarpa) - with narrower and longer leaves than the typical form and larger, up to 1 cm, abundant fruits.
Location: They develop better in areas with full light, but also tolerate partial shade.
The soil: low demands on soil fertility and moisture. However, the following soil composition is recommended: turf soil, peat compost, sand in a ratio of 2:1:2. Multiflorous cotoneaster needs lime 300 g/m2. m.
Landing: distance between plants is 0.5-2 m, depending on the diameter of the crown of an adult plant. Planting depth 50-70 cm: root collar at ground level. Drainage is required (gravel or broken brick, 10-20 cm layer).
Care: in the spring, complete mineral fertilizer is applied: Kemiru-universal at the rate of 100-120 g per 1 sq. m or 20-30 g of urea per 10 liters of water. In the summer, before flowering, give granular superphosphate 60 g/m2. m and 10-15 g/sq. m potassium sulfate. Many types of cotoneaster are drought-resistant and do not require watering, or it is only needed in very dry summers, 1-2 times a month, 8 liters of water per plant. Loosening is carried out shallow (10-15 cm) after removing the weeds. After planting the seedlings, mulch with peat in a layer of 5-8 cm.
Cotoneasters respond successfully to shape pruning, forming dense hedges of medium height. After pruning, they grow back strongly, maintaining their growth form. It is allowed to trim 1/3 of the length of the annual shoot. Cotoneasters overwinter with a light cover of a dry leaf or peat with a layer of 3-6 cm or under snow. Sometimes in winter the branches are bent to the ground to protect the flower buds from frost.
Protection from pests and diseases: Fusarium. The affected parts of the plants are removed and burned. Disinfect the soil or change the planting site if the disease spreads strongly. The yellow bear is combated by spraying with any of the organophosphorus insecticides. Against aphids - early spring spraying with DNOC or nitrafen. The larvae are sprayed with karbofos, metafos, rogor, saifos. If necessary, spraying is repeated. Among herbal infusions, they use black henbane, tall larkspur, potato tops, yarrow, shag, etc. Against moths after flowering and in the summer they spray with: amifos, karbofos (0.1-0.4%) or rogor (0.2 %). The most effective are fozalon (0.2%) or gardon (0.1-0.35%). During flowering, entobacterin is used, applying two or three times with an interval of 12-14 days.
Reproduction: seeds, layering, cuttings, grafting. Seeds, as a rule, have very low germination (40-60%). When washed, defective seeds float to the surface and must be discarded. The remaining seeds should be sown and remember that they have a long dormant period and are very difficult to germinate. They need to be stratified and sown in the fall of next year.
When propagated by green cuttings, a high percentage of rooting is obtained when the cuttings are covered with film. The best time for cuttings is the second half of July. The substrate consists of a mixture of peat and sand, taken in equal quantities.
Usage: very valuable ornamental shrubs due to their dense crown, shiny dark green leaves and numerous bright fruits that remain on the branches for a long time. Recommended for edges, groups, single plantings on the lawn, borders and dense hedges. Some species are used to form undergrowth, on rocky hills and slopes.
In the rose family, which includes all cotoneasters, there are many species of this plant that have excellent decorative properties and practical benefits. These include the common cotoneaster, which in its external characteristics resembles the brilliant cotoneaster.
Common cotoneaster: general species characteristics
Common cotoneaster grows in its natural habitat in the mountainous areas of the Baltic states, the European part of Russia, and the North Caucasus. It is listed in the Red Book and is considered a protected plant. Therefore, on its basis, cultural forms have been created with the same characteristics as the natural specimen.
It is perfectly adapted to difficult natural conditions and poor soils. It can be found in areas where shale and calcareous rocks emerge, on sandstones and gentle rocky slopes. He loves light and open space, which is sufficient in the mountains, where other plants have difficulty taking root.
The cultivated ornamental plant cotoneaster has been known since the mid-17th century. This is an upright, highly branched shrub. It usually reaches a height of 2 meters and has a wide, rounded, spreading crown, which can be easily shaped during artificial landscaping.
Unlike the common cotoneaster, the common cotoneaster grows slowly, forming an insignificant annual increase. Over 15 years of cultivation, it can reach one and a half meters in height and a meter in width.
When young, the shoots have woolly pubescence, which disappears as they grow older, and the branch becomes smooth. They are painted in a light brown color over time turning into a darker shade.
From spring to autumn, the shrub is covered with wide, ovate leaves that are much larger in size than its relatives. They can be up to 5 cm in length and 3-4 cm in width. They are held on the shoot by a thin petiole and placed alternately. 
Young foliage is light green, turning over time into a darker, richer shade. In autumn it becomes colorful: orange, red, purple. At this time of year, the common cotoneaster is especially attractive.
The upper part of the sheet is absolutely flat and smooth, has a pleasant glossy shine. The bottom coating is soft, felt. Large and small veins are clearly felt on it.
Common cotoneaster is a deciduous shrub, and with the onset of cold weather its branches become bare. But they can retain red fruits, which help preserve the decorative appearance of the plant. 
The fruits are formed on the site of fallen flowers, which completely cover the bush in June. Then five-petalled flowers bloom from the buds formed in the axils of the leaves. They are quite small, no more than 3 cm in diameter, painted white with a slight pinkish tint. 
Flowers may not fall for 3-4 weeks. During this period, they are especially attractive to pollinating insects, which contribute to the formation of ovaries. Ball-like berries tightly cling to the shoots, firmly holding them with the help of thin petioles. Usually they are located 2-4 pieces in a brush.
The decorative effect of the bush is achieved through the coloring of the fruits. When ripe, they resemble corals as they become bright red and shiny. They are so close to each other that the branch appears not green, but purple. The bending of shoots painted in this way creates original outlines, and the plant looks even more beautiful. 
Active fruiting of the common cotoneaster begins at the age of 3 years. Then, every season, a large number of fruits are formed on it, which stay on the branches for a long time and do not fall off even in winter. At this time they become good food for birds.
Common cotoneaster: use in landscaping and treatment
This type of cotoneaster can be used for decorative and medicinal purposes, as an effective preventive folk remedy.
- Landscape designers create hedges from it, placing it in a dense group located along the same line. Since the plant has a highly branched taproot system, they are planted using the trench method in deep artificial ditches. Of course, the brilliant cotoneaster looks better in such structures, but the ordinary one also copes well with the task of fencing the area from uninvited guests.
In autumn, the living fence changes color and becomes a bright decoration for the site. It can favorably emphasize the stonework of walls and the gray colors of garden paths. Just like brilliant cotoneaster, it is used to form borders along artificial overpasses. 
This crop looks good in a single planting. In this case, it is better to give the bush a certain shape. It responds well to pruning and trimming. The slow growth of shoots allows you to do this only once a season.
The ability of this crop to grow on rocky soils allows it to be used when creating landscapes of an oriental, often Japanese, style. At the same time, it fits well into a composition consisting of large gray cobblestones, conifers and bright deciduous trees.
- Another important function of the common cotoneaster is its use in folk medicine. Despite the fact that its berries are rarely eaten, they have a pronounced medicinal effect.
With the help of decoctions and infusions prepared from this raw material, acute and chronic gastritis and other gastrointestinal diseases are treated. Cotoneaster medicines are good for neurasthenia, stress and nervous disorders. They treat hepatitis, liver and gallbladder diseases. Drinks made from cotoneaster berries help in the prevention of epilepsy in adults and children.
For medicinal purposes, not only the fruits are used, but also the young bark, green shoots, leaves and flowers of the plant.
Common cotoneaster is a plant that has decorative and medicinal benefits. Therefore, in the garden it should take its rightful place among other crops.
Cotoneaster (lat. Cotoneaster)- a genus of evergreen or deciduous slowly growing shrubs, as well as medium-sized trees of the Rosaceae family. The name of the shrub was compiled by the Swiss botanist Caspar Baugin from two Greek words: cotonea, which means “quince,” and aster, “having a similar appearance.” This is explained by the fact that the leaves of one of the cotoneaster species have a strong resemblance to quince leaves. The genus Cotoneaster is represented by more than a hundred species, varieties and varieties growing naturally in North Africa and Eurasia. Those who are not well-informed often believe that dogwood and cotoneaster are the same plant, and they are in vain expecting delicious berries from cotoneaster. In fact, apart from the consonance in the name, there is nothing in common between these plants - they are generally from different families. Cotoneaster berries look like a tiny apple and are completely inedible, unlike the juicy dogwood fruits. The value of cotoneaster is in its decorative qualities, which allow the plant to be used as an effective element of the garden throughout its long life.
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Planting and caring for cotoneaster (in brief)
- Landing: in spring, before the buds swell or in autumn, during leaf fall.
- Bloom: in June.
- Lighting: bright sun or partial shade.
- The soil: any: the necessary nutrient mixture is placed directly into the hole when planting.
- Watering: in a season with a normal amount of rain, you don’t have to water it at all, and only if there is no rain all summer, the plant is watered once every two weeks, using 7-8 buckets for each adult bush.
- Trimming: sanitary - at any time, formative or rejuvenating - in the spring, before the buds swell.
Feeding: in April-May - with nitrogen fertilizer, before flowering - with potassium-phosphorus, and in the fall the tree trunk circle is mulched with peat. - Reproduction: seeds, cuttings, layering and dividing the bush.
- Pests: apple aphids, scale insects and spider mites.
- Diseases: fusarium, powdery mildew.
Read more about growing cotoneaster below.
Cotoneaster bush - description
Cotoneaster bushes can be deciduous or evergreen depending on the type you grow. For the most part, cotoneaster is a densely branched shrub used for street landscaping. A cotoneaster hedge is a fairly common sight in our cities. The leaves of this plant are small, simple, alternate, ovoid, entire, dark green in summer, and acquire shades of red in autumn. Cotoneaster blooms with small pink or white flowers - single or collected in corymbose or racemose inflorescences. Small cotoneaster fruits are black or red. For better or worse, cotoneaster grows very slowly and lives in one place for up to fifty years, or even longer. There are about forty species of cotoneaster in cultivation, however, in addition to species plants, various forms and varieties of shrubs are widely used in garden design. Among the most popular species are the brilliant, whole-edged and black-fruited cotoneasters, which have high winter hardiness. Amateur gardeners love cotoneaster for its ease of care and undemandingness to growing conditions. As for professionals, cotoneaster in landscape design is most often used by them as a hedge.
Planting cotoneaster
When to plant cotoneaster
Cotoneaster seedlings of almost all types are planted in open ground in the spring, when the ground thaws, but the buds on the trees have not yet had time to open. It is also permissible to plant cotoneaster in the fall, during the time period between the beginning of mass leaf fall and the first frost - this time is most suitable for planting brilliant and chokeberry cotoneasters. Cotoneasters are shade-tolerant, you can grow them in partial shade, and this will not negatively affect the decorative qualities of the plant, but cotoneaster reaches its best form in open sunny areas. The plant is undemanding in terms of soil quality, especially since the optimal soil composition for cotoneaster growth can be added directly to the planting hole.
How to plant cotoneaster
The size of the hole for the cotoneaster should be approximately 50x50x50 cm, and the hole should be filled on top of the obligatory twenty-centimeter layer of broken brick or gravel with a soil mixture of the following composition: one part each of peat, sand and humus and two parts of turf soil. It will be nice if you add 200-300 grams of lime to the soil mixture. The distance between the cotoneaster bush and any other plant or structure should be from 50 cm to 2 m, depending on the expected crown size of the adult plant. When burying a seedling, make sure that its root collar is strictly level with the surface. After planting, the soil is compacted tightly, watered, and the tree trunk circle is mulched with a peat layer 8 cm thick. Planting cotoneaster as a hedge for greater convenience is done not in holes, but in a trench.
Cotoneaster care
How to care for cotoneaster
Planting and caring for cotoneaster is very simple, and even if you don’t know how to grow cotoneaster, your intuition will tell you what to do in a difficult situation. Fortunately, such situations may not arise at all. The main thing you need to know about this plant is that it does not tolerate excess water in the roots; cotoneaster will survive all other natural phenomena with dignity. Based on this, in principle there is no need to water the cotoneaster, since even in dry summers it can go without water for a long time. If it’s dry all summer, water the plant once every two weeks; the water consumption for an adult plant is 7-8 buckets. After watering or rain, you need to remove weeds from the area and loosen the soil in the area shallowly, 10-15 cm. Caring for a brilliant cotoneaster does not involve watering as regularly as washing the plant from dust under running water, especially if a hedge of brilliant cotoneaster replaces a fence facing the street.
Cotoneaster fertilizer
In the first warm days of spring, cotoneaster is fed with nitrogen fertilizer. This can be urea, diluted in an amount of 25 g in a bucket of water, or Kemira-universal long-acting granules. Even before the plant blooms, it is fed with 15 g of potassium and 60 g of superphosphate per m². At the end of the season, the soil around the bush is mulched with peat.
Pruning cotoneaster
Cotoneaster responds well to pruning, being exactly the plant from which designers form bushes of various shapes - cones, prisms, hemispheres and more complex shapes. It is allowed to trim the annual shoot by a third of the growth. Such curly pruning requires certain skills and special tools. After formative pruning, the shoots grow back, maintaining the shape given to the bushes. Trimming a cotoneaster can also have a sanitary function, because sooner or later old, diseased, broken or thickening branches appear on any bush. In the end, with age, you have to do anti-aging pruning of the cotoneaster. Sanitary pruning can be done at any time, and rejuvenating and shaping pruning can be done in the spring, before the buds open.
Pests and diseases of cotoneaster
Cotoneaster has a stable immunity to diseases and harmful insects, but sometimes apple aphids appear on the underside of the leaf blade of the plant, causing the leaves to wrinkle and the shoots to bend and dry out. From time to time, the cotoneaster suffers from mites and scale insects. You can destroy harmful insects by treating with herbal decoctions - shag, tobacco, yarrow. Or a stronger remedy - insecticides sold in specialized stores. Of the diseases that most often affect the plant, fusarium is treated with fungicides, after cutting out the diseased areas to healthy tissue.
Cotoneaster propagation
How to propagate cotoneaster
Different types of cotoneaster reproduce in different ways, but those who decide to grow cotoneaster by seed should know that cotoneaster seeds have low germination rate, so they need to be sown with a reserve. This is done before winter, so that in the cold soil the seeds undergo natural stratification, and cotoneaster seedlings will appear only next spring. We will tell you about another method of stratification in the section on seed propagation. Cotoneasters also reproduce vegetatively - by cuttings, layering, and dividing the bush.
Seed propagation of cotoneaster
Cotoneaster fruits are collected and slightly dried to make the pulp easier to separate. Then the seeds are removed from the berries and washed with water. The washed seeds are placed in a glass jar with water: those suitable for sowing will sink to the bottom, and the seeds floating on the surface are completely useless. After this, the seed is mixed with sand and peat, moistened, placed in boxes and stored until spring at a temperature of about 0 ºC. During this time, the seeds will undergo stratification and can be planted in the ground. However, there is no guarantee that even stratified seeds will sprout and produce seedlings, so it is better to resort to a more reliable method of propagating cotoneaster - vegetatively.
Propagation of cotoneaster by cuttings
After trimming the bush, there are segments left that can be used to propagate the brilliant cotoneaster, but it is better to still cut the cuttings for rooting in June. First, they need to be placed with the cut side in water with a growth stimulant dissolved in it for a day, after which they are planted at an angle of 45º on a garden bed in light loose soil consisting of sand and peat, watered with warm water and covered with a large plastic bottle with a cut off neck. On hot days, remove the bottle to prevent the plants from drying out. You can water the cuttings without removing the bottle. Next spring, the rooted cuttings can be planted in a permanent place.
Reproduction of cotoneaster by layering
This method is used to propagate mainly groundcover species of cotoneasters, for example, creeping and horizontal, since their shoots are located close to the soil or in contact with it. Select young shoots, pin them to the soil with metal staples or hooks and sprinkle the attachment point with humus. Next spring, cut this branch with a shovel at the base of the mother bush and transplant the cuttings to the place that you have assigned to it. Reproduction by layering is the easiest and most reliable way to propagate cotoneaster.
Reproduction of cotoneaster by dividing the bush
Mature bushes that have grown greatly can be divided into parts, followed by rooting of the divisions. This is a fast and effective way. You can divide the bush both in spring and autumn, immediately replanting the parts obtained during division into new places.
Cotoneaster in winter
Cotoneaster in autumn (preparing for winter)
Almost all cotoneasters are cold-resistant and overwinter well without shelter; you just need to mulch the soil around the bush with peat, but if you are afraid that your cotoneaster will freeze, bend it to the ground, secure it in this position and cover it with dry leaves.
Wintering cotoneaster
If the winter is too frosty and snowless, you can additionally cover the plant with spruce branches or covering material, but if it starts to snow, remove the cover and let your shrub overwinter under a layer of snow. Black-fruited, whole-edged and shiny cotoneasters, which are most often grown in our climate, have high winter hardiness and can withstand even significant frosts without shelter.
Types and varieties of cotoneaster
We offer you an introduction to the most popular types of cotoneasters grown in cultivation.
Cotoneaster lucidus
native to Eastern Siberia, where it grows singly or in groups. It is an upright, densely leafy deciduous shrub. The height of the brilliant cotoneaster reaches two meters. Its young shoots are densely pubescent, elliptical in shape, shiny dark green leaves up to 5 cm long, pointed towards the top. Pink flowers in loose corymbose inflorescences open in May or June and bloom for 30 days. The shiny spherical black fruits are decorative and remain on the bushes until winter. Fruiting occurs at four years. Most often used to create hedges, group plantings on edges and lawns. In culture since the beginning of the 19th century.
Cotoneaster melanocarpus
It is also quite winter-hardy for our latitudes. This cotoneaster is edible, unlike many other types of plants. In the wild, it can be found in the Caucasus, Central Asia, Northern China and Central Europe. The shrub reaches a height of 2 meters, its shoots are red-brown in color, and the fruits are black. The leaves are ovate, up to 4.5 cm long, the upper side of the plate is dark green, the lower side is white-tomentose, the apex is obtuse or notched. Annual fruiting begins at the age of five. Pink flowers in loose clusters of 5-12 pieces bloom for about 25 days. The species is frost-resistant and does not require moisture; in addition, plants of this species are excellent honey plants; canes, pipes and other crafts are made from their wood. The species has a decorative laxiflora form with loose drooping inflorescences and larger fruits than the original species. Aronia cotoneaster has been in cultivation since 1829.
Cotoneaster integerrimus
- a deciduous shrub, found in nature from the Baltic states to the North Caucasus on mountain slopes, in limestone and sandstone. In cultivation, this deciduous shrub is still a rare occurrence. The cotoneaster bush grows up to two meters in height, its crown is rounded, young branched shoots are covered with woolly pubescence, but with age they become bare. Its leaves are broadly ovate, up to 5 cm long, dark green above, smooth and shiny, gray-felt underneath. Pinkish-white flowers are collected in clusters of 2-4 pieces. The fruits are bright red and up to one centimeter in diameter. The winter hardiness of this species is high; in addition, it is resistant to gas and drought. In culture since 1656.
Cotoneaster horizontalis
belongs to the prostrate species. This is an evergreen cotoneaster, up to one meter high and a crown spreading width of up to one and a half to two meters. The shoots are arranged in layers, like the backbone of a fish. The leaves are shiny, round, green, turning fiery red in autumn. The small pinkish-white flowers bloom in late May and bloom for three weeks. Numerous scarlet fruits ripen in September and can remain on the bush until spring. This type of cotoneaster, unlike others, is demanding on the composition of the soil. In culture since 1880. Has two varieties:
- Variegatus– up to 30 cm high and a growth diameter of up to one and a half meters, each leaf has a white stripe along the edge;
- Perpusillis- a prostrate shrub up to 20 cm high, eventually covering an area with a diameter of up to one meter. It grows slowly. Blooms in early summer with pink flowers. Scarlet berries ripen at the end of summer. Green leaves turn burgundy in autumn.
Dammer's cotoneaster (Cotoneaster dammeri)
Outwardly it resembles a horizontal cotoneaster. Found in the wild in the mountains of Central China. Its shoots are creeping, they are almost pressed to the ground, so they often take root on their own. Branching of the shoots occurs in one plane, they rise no higher than 20-30 cm, growing up to one and a half meters wide. The leaves are leathery, small, elliptical, dark green in summer and purple in late autumn. The flowers are sessile in a reddish hue, the coral-red fruits ripen in September and do not fall for a very long time. This species has been in cultivation since 1900. Popular varieties:
- Eicholes– up to 60 cm high with red-orange fruits;
- Coral Beauty– up to 40 cm high, with large single red fruits. This variety is the most winter-hardy of this species;
- Stockholm- a shrub up to one meter high with bright red fruits.
Cotoneaster adpressus
- a dwarf creeping shrub up to half a meter high, covering an area with a diameter of one meter. Its shoots are pressed to the ground, the leaves are small, round, light green in summer and dark or bright red in autumn. Numerous pink flowers open in late spring. This type of cotoneaster requires shelter for the winter.
In addition to the described species, cotoneasters are of interest: splayed cotoneaster, moupinsky, holly-leaved, small-leaved, multi-flowered, pink, single-flowered, Henry, vesicular, Franchet, racemosa.
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