Wall cotoneaster

Wall cotoneaster: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Low shrub with flat, horizontally spreading branches in a herringbone pattern, about 60 cm tall and 1.5 m wide. Against a wall it grows taller.

Leaves

Small (about 1 cm), round and glossy dark green. They turn orange to red in autumn; in mild winters some stay on.

Flowers

Tiny pinkish-white flowers, single or in pairs along the branches, in May–June.

Fruit

Bright red, round berries of about 5 mm, ripe in autumn and often on the shrub well into winter.

Roots

Deep and branching. Branches that touch the ground often root by themselves.

Flowering: May–June · Plants: March–April and October–November · Pruning: February–March

Why grow it?

• Attractive in every season: flowers in spring, red berries and autumn colour, and in winter the graphic herringbone pattern of the bare branches.
• One of the best shrubs for bees: in May–June the tiny flowers attract crowds of bees and bumblebees.
• The berries often hang on well into winter and feed blackbirds and thrushes.
• Ideal for covering a low wall, a flight of steps or a dry bank.
• Tough and undemanding: hardy, drought-tolerant and hardly needs pruning.

Wall cotoneaster: where does it grow best?

• Sun or partial shade; in sun you get more berries and brighter autumn colour.
• Any well-drained soil: sand, loam or clay, acid to chalky. It also does well on poor, stony soil.
• Fairly dry to moist; it dislikes standing water.
• Perfect against a low wall, on a bank or over the edge of a raised bed.
• Plant 1–1.5 m apart. Do not plant it near dunes or chalk grassland.

Light

Sun and partial shade

Soil type

Sand, loam or clay

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Dry or normal

Size

0.6 m tall, 1.5 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -25 °C)

Goes well with

• Crocus: Flowers in March under the still bare branches.
• Snowdrop: White beneath the herringbone pattern while the shrub is dormant.
• Ice plant: Flowers in late summer and, like the cotoneaster, loves a dry, sunny spot.
• Lavender: Fragrant grey leaves next to the dark green, on a sunny bank.
• Low ornamental grasses: Fine, swaying blades against the stiff, flat branches.

Wall cotoneaster: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–April and October–November.

1. Plant in March–April or October–November, in mild weather and never in frozen soil.
2. Dig a hole twice as wide as the rootball and loosen the bottom well.
3. Set the plant at the same depth as in the pot. Against a wall, plant 30–40 cm out from the wall and lean it slightly towards it.
4. Firm the soil and water in thoroughly straight away.
5. Mulch around the base until the branches cover the ground themselves; on a bank this also holds the soil in place.

Care

Watering

Weekly in dry weather in the first year. After that it is very drought-tolerant.

Feeding

Not needed. Rich soil gives long, floppy shoots and fewer berries.

Weeding

Weed under the branches for the first few years; later the shrub closes over and weeds are rare.

Against a wall

It has no aerial roots: lean or tie a few long branches against the wall and the rest will follow.

Berries

Leave the berries for the birds; that way you have colour in winter too.

Tip: Plant it leaning against a low wall or over an edge: that shows off the herringbone pattern best. Never use hedge shears; cut branch by branch.

Wall cotoneaster: when to prune it?

Pruning months: February–March.

When: It hardly needs pruning. If you must, do it in February–March, once the birds have eaten most of the berries and before the leaves emerge.

How:

• Remove branches that grow forwards or in the wrong direction, so the herringbone pattern stays visible.
• Shorten branches that are too long back to a side shoot, never halfway along a branch: that spoils the flat shape.
• Remove dead and damaged branches.
• Too wide? Cut the outer branches back to a side shoot that lies inside the edge you want.

Caution: Trimming with hedge shears turns the lovely herringbone pattern into an untidy blob: always cut branch by branch.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Natural layers

Branches that touch the ground often root by themselves. In spring, lift them with a little soil and replant them elsewhere.

Semi-ripe cuttings

In August: 8–10 cm cuttings, lower leaves removed, in sandy cutting compost under plastic. They root within a few weeks to a few months.

Wall cotoneaster: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −25 °C.

• Very hardy, to about −25 °C: never needs protection in Belgium.
• The red berries often last until January, a welcome meal for blackbirds and thrushes.
• In mild winters some of the leaves stay on the shrub.
• In a pot or container, standing it against a wall is enough.

Diseases and pests

• Fireblight: Shoots and flower clusters suddenly wilt and turn black, as if scorched. Cut well back into healthy wood, put the prunings in the household waste and disinfect your secateurs.
• Scale insects: Small brown scales on the branches and sticky leaves. Brush them off or cut out badly affected branches.
• Aphids: On young shoots in spring. Ladybirds and birds usually deal with them.
• Spreading into the wild: Birds spread the seeds, including into dunes and chalk grassland. Do not plant it near such natural habitats.

Through the year

• February: Light pruning if needed: remove branches growing the wrong way.
• March: Planting. Pruning is still possible before the leaves emerge.
• April: Planting. Lift and replant rooted layers.
• May: In flower: the shrub hums with bees.
• June: Last flowers. Water young plants in dry weather.
• August: Take semi-ripe cuttings. The berries start to colour.
• September: Red berries.
• October: Planting. Orange-red autumn colour.
• November: Planting. Leave the berries for the birds.
• December: Bare herringbone branches, with a few red berries left.

Edible and useful

Not edible. The red berries of cotoneaster are mildly poisonous: the seeds contain compounds that can release cyanide. A few berries usually cause no symptoms, but a larger amount can cause stomach ache, vomiting and diarrhoea, in dogs and cats too. The berries stay on from autumn well into winter, often at a child’s height or, on the creeping kinds, right beside a path, and they tempt small children. Teach them that the berries are for the birds, and pick them off where toddlers play. Birds, however, eat them without harm and so spread the seeds. If any is swallowed, call a poison centre (in Belgium 070 245 245) or your doctor at once.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Birds

Berries, seeds or insects as food, or a place to nest.

Did you know?

• In English it is also called herringbone cotoneaster, after the pattern of its branches.
• The name Cotoneaster comes from the Latin cotoneum (quince) and -aster (resembling): the leaves reminded botanists of quince leaves.
• It has no aerial roots or tendrils: against a wall it simply leans on it and grows upwards with its flat branches.