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 (Cotoneaster) is a non-thorny shrub plant or small tree belonging to the Rosaceae family. Many types of crops have a decorative appearance and are used in the design of local areas.
Of course, despite a certain similarity in the names of the two plants, there are tangible differences, and the most important difference is that dogwood berries are edible, but cotoneaster fruits that appear in the fall are not always edible. Dogwood is a fruit and berry tree, and many varieties of cotoneaster are represented by ornamental shrubs used in landscape design.
How to plant cotoneaster (video)
Botanical description and places of growth of cotoneaster
Deciduous or evergreen, slow-growing shrub with medium-sized, simple, alternate, entire, ovate-shaped leaves. In summer, the foliage is dark green in color, and in autumn it turns red.
The flowers are white or pink, small in size, solitary, collected in corymbs or racemes. Red-fruited or black-fruited cotoneaster is an original ornamental crop that grows naturally in Eurasia and North Africa.
Cotoneaster is a non-thorny shrub plant or small tree belonging to the Rosaceae family
Gallery: cotoneaster (25 photos)
Characteristics of the main types of cotoneaster
Almost all types are undemanding to soils and moisture levels, are characterized by frost resistance and gas resistance, and are also easy to mold. Two species are classified as conservation species.
Cotoneaster aronia
С.melanocarpus is popular in the middle zone of our country due to its sufficient winter hardiness. The height of the above-ground part does not exceed a couple of meters. The branches are brown with a reddish tint. The foliage is ovoid, green at the top and whitish below. Inflorescences are racemose, pink in color . After flowering, edible black fruits are formed.
Cotoneaster aronia
Cotoneaster pressed
C.adpressus is a low-growing species no more than half a meter high with a crown diameter of one meter. The branches have a creeping appearance. The foliage is relatively small, round in shape, light green in summer and scarlet in autumn. Slow growing variety reaches full height by the tenth year of life.
Cotoneaster pressed
Cotoneaster horizontal
С.horizontalis is an evergreen shrub plant no more than one meter high with a crown up to a couple of meters wide. The foliage is round in shape, with a glossy surface, green in summer and bright red in autumn. Flowers early with small whitish-pink flowers followed by bright red fruits. Popular low-growing variety Variegatus is up to 25-30 cm high with a crown up to one and a half meters in diameter. There is a white stripe on the green foliage.
Cotoneaster horizontal
Common cotoneaster
C. integerrimus - grows under natural conditions on mountain slopes, as well as sandy and calcareous soils. The height of the above-ground part is two meters. Young branches have fleecy pubescence, while mature branches are bare. The bush has a compact rounded crown with broadly ovate foliage. The outer side of the leaves is dark green in color and glossy. The interior is gray and rough. Racemose inflorescences are represented by white-pink flowers. The varietal feature is drought resistance and frost resistance.
Common cotoneaster
Cotoneaster brilliant
С.lucidus – East Siberian species, represented by an upright-growing deciduous shrub, densely covered with leaves. The above-ground part is no more than three meters high. Young branches are grayish-brown, pubescent. In late autumn, the stems acquire a reddish-brown color.. The foliage is irregularly elliptical, dark green in summer and slightly reddish in autumn.
Cotoneaster brilliant
Dummer cotoneaster
C.dammerii is a creeping type, evergreen variety, undemanding to soil, long-lived and drought-resistant. Widely used for decorating parks and squares, as well as in the landscape design of the local area.
Dummer cotoneaster
Cotoneaster vesica
C.bullatus is a deciduous shrub with a height of the above-ground part of no more than three meters. It has very characteristic dark green, glossy, wrinkled foliage. In autumn, the leaves acquire a highly decorative bright red color. The plant is characterized by insufficient winter hardiness for many regions, therefore, in particularly frosty winters it can freeze to the point of snow cover.
Cotoneaster vesica
Cotoneaster splayed
C.divaricatus is a deciduous shrub plant, no more than a meter high, with a dense crown and obovate or rounded foliage. The leaf blade is dense and shiny. A very decorative variety prefers light and fertile loams for growth and development, as well as maximally open, well-warmed areas by the sun.
Cotoneaster splayed
Hybrid cotoneaster
“Coral Beauty” is an ornamental and low-growing deciduous shrub with partially creeping and partially arched, highly branched shoots. The height of the aboveground part of an adult plant does not exceed half a meter with a crown width of up to one and a half meters. The foliage is numerous, small, oval, dark green and shiny in summer, and red or reddish-purple in autumn. The flowers are small, white, and have five petals.
Hybrid cotoneaster
Cotoneaster
C. salicifolius is a variable, evergreen shrub plant up to 4-5 m high with curved branches and lanceolate-elliptical, oblong-elliptic, acute or pointed foliage with a wedge-shaped base. White flowers. After flowering, round, bright red fruits are formed.
Cotoneaster
Cotoneaster entire
C.integerrimus - with erect stems up to two meters high with young pubescent shoots. The foliage is broadly ovate or rounded, with a blunt or sharp tip, and a rounded base. The upper side of the leaves is bare, dark green, matte, and the lower side is covered with whitish or grayish felt pubescence. Flowers in corymbose racemes, pinkish in color.
Cotoneaster entire
Other varieties of cotoneaster
Domestic and foreign amateur gardeners are also well aware of others, very decorative types of deciduous shrubs:
- holly (C.acutifolius);
- close (C.affinis);
- Alauan (C.alauniсus);
- low content (C. bacillaris);
- boxwood (C.buхifolius);
- Cooper (C. cooreri);
- woolen (C.flossosus);
- cellular (C.foveolatus);
- Franchetti (C.franchetii);
- cold (C. frigidus);
- Granadian (C.granatensis);
- Henry (C.henryаnus);
- Hjelmqvist (C.hjelmqvistii);
- Hammel (C. hummelii);
- Karatavian (S.karatavicus);
- milky white (C.lasteus);
- Lancaster (C.lancasteri);
- Meyer (C.meyeri);
- Mongolian (C.mongolicus);
- membranous (C.pannosus);
- Parker (C. parkeri);
- racemosa (C. racemiflorus);
- multi-flowered (C.multiflorus).
Very original is the creeping species Nanshan (C.nanshan), no more than half a meter high with dark green or reddish foliage and pink flowers.
Cotoneaster nan-shan
Options for using cotoneaster in garden decoration
Thanks to its very beautiful and original foliage, the plant is popular in garden decoration. Among other things, the crown is perfectly formed. If desired, you can independently, by pruning, form a rounded bush, as well as a hemispherical or cushion-shaped crown. The culture is perfect for decorating rocky gardens, looks original in mixed groups with conifers and decorative deciduous shrubs or flowering perennials. Can be used to decorate borders.
Choosing a place in the garden and planting technology
Many species are quite unpretentious crops, undemanding to conditions, including soil fertility and moisture. It takes root well on different types of soil, mountain rocky and calcareous soils. It is not recommended to plant in areas with heavy and clayey, acidic, swampy and saline soils. Loamy soil or a soil mixture based on turf soil and river sand, with the addition of humus or peat compost, is optimal.
Seedlings are planted in open ground in the spring, after the soil has thawed, but the buds on the plant have not yet opened. The dimensions of the planting hole should be approximately 50x50x50cm. A prerequisite for proper planting is the use of drainage based on broken bricks or gravel. The distance between planted seedlings may vary depending on the species characteristics. When forming a hedge, planting is carried out not in planting holes, but in pre-prepared trenches.
How to prune cotoneaster (video)
Features of caring for cotoneaster
The culture is unpretentious, but responsive to care, which includes the main activities represented by irrigation, fertilization, timely pruning and proper preparation for wintering.
Watering
Irrigation measures are necessary for ornamental plants during especially hot periods in the absence of precipitation. It is advisable to carry out watering through irrigation grooves specially made in the tree trunk circles. After watering, shallow loosening of the soil and removal of weeds is carried out.
Top dressing
In early spring, the crop is fed with nitrogen-containing fertilizers, which can be considered urea, diluted in the amount of 25 g per bucket of water. Also The Kemira-universal granular fertilizer has proven itself well. During the mass flowering phase, 15 g of potassium and 60 g of superphosphate are added per square meter.
In early spring, cotoneaster is fed with nitrogen-containing fertilizers
Trimming
Sanitary pruning can be carried out throughout the entire growing season, and the crown needs to be formed and rejuvenated in the spring, before the buds open. . During the process of sanitary pruning, thickening, old or damaged branches are always removed. Pruning should only be done with well-sharpened and disinfected garden tools.
Preparing for winter
The highly decorative crop has sufficient frost resistance, so it does not require special preparation for the winter period. However, in harsh winters it is recommended to mulch the soil under the bushes with peat, dry leaves or spruce branches, then bend the branches and cover them with a covering breathable material.
Sanitary pruning can be performed throughout the entire growing season
Methods for propagating cotoneaster
Even novice amateur gardeners can propagate decorative perennials on their own. There are several quite accessible and simple methods of reproduction.
Dividing the bush
Bush division is one of the most convenient and simplest methods of propagation. You can divide the bush in both spring and autumn. For this purpose, the plant is carefully dug up, after which the root system is carefully cleared of adhering soil, inspected and divided into several parts with pruning shears. Each new bush should have well-developed roots. The resulting cuttings are planted in a previously prepared place, and the root collar is located at the same level with the ground when planting.
Bush division is one of the most convenient and simplest ways to propagate cotoneaster.
By layering
In the fall, you need to select the shoots of the current year, which are attached to the surface using metal brackets. The place of fixation is sprinkled with high-quality humus on top. In the spring, rooted cuttings are carefully dug up, separated from the parent bush and planted in a permanent place.
Cuttings
The cutting method is used when it is necessary to obtain a large amount of planting material at once. It is best to take cuttings in June. The cuttings are placed in water with a growth stimulator for about a day. The cuttings prepared in this way are planted in a permanent place in loose and fairly light soil at an angle of 45°. It is imperative to cover the planted cuttings to create a greenhouse effect.
Root shoots
Some species form a sufficient amount of shoots, which can be used for propagation of decorative perennials. Young plants are carefully dug up and then transplanted to a separate place. In the first days after transplantation, it is advisable to shade the young plantings from the scorching rays of the sun.
Some types of cotoneaster produce a sufficient amount of shoots, which can be used for propagation of decorative perennials
Seeds
The fruit-forming ornamental shrub can be propagated by seed material, but this option is very labor-intensive, which is explained by very low seed germination rates. The collected berries are slightly dried and then kneaded, after which the seed material is removed, washed and placed for annual stratification. Such seeds can be planted only after a year, in nutritious and fertile soil.
Diseases and pests of shrubs
Cotoneaster in garden decor (video)
The destruction of insect pests is carried out by treatment with herbal decoctions based on shag and tobacco, with the addition of yarrow. In case of mass damage, chemical insecticides are used. Against pathogenic microflora, including fusarium, severe pruning is used with mandatory subsequent treatment with fungicides.
Estimate
- a low deciduous plant valued for its decorative appearance. The foliage of this evergreen shrub turns from green to red in late autumn. The shrub is actively used in landscape design, arranging it in various compositions.
Common cotoneaster (Cotoneaster integerrimus)
Common cotoneaster distributed from the Baltic states to the North Caucasus, in natural conditions it grows on mountain slopes, sandy and limestone-rich soils. It is a rare guest in garden culture.
The height of the common cotoneaster reaches 2 meters, the young branches are pubescent, but then, as they grow older, they become bare. The bush has a compact round crown. The leaves are wide, egg-shaped, leaf length is about 5 cm.
The outer side of the leaf blade is dark green, glossy, and the inner side is gray and rough. White-pink flowers are collected in racemose inflorescences. In autumn, bright red large fruits ripen. This variety is resistant to drought and frost.
Cotoneaster lucidus
Motherland cotoneaster brilliant- Eastern Siberia. This upright, deciduous shrub is densely covered with luscious foliage. Cotoneaster grows up to 3 m in height. Young branches are gray-brown in color at the edge; in winter the stems acquire a red-brown color; with age, the branches get rid of lint.
The crown of young bushes grows slightly elongated, and as it matures it takes on a round shape. Cotoneaster is a rather spreading bush, the diameter of the crown of an adult plant is up to 3 m. The length of the leaves is from 2-6 cm, width is 1-4 cm.
The leaves, shaped like an irregular ellipse, are dark green in summer with a yellowish inner side, and take on a reddish tint in winter. The flowering of the bush begins in May and lasts about a month.
The bush begins to bear fruit at the age of 4 years. It has beautiful, glossy black ball-shaped fruits. Most often, shrubs are used for planting hedges or borders. Cotoneaster brilliant has been known and cultivated since the beginning of the 19th century.
Cotoneaster horizontalis
This plant belongs to the prostrate species of cotoneaster. An evergreen shrub up to a meter high, its crown grows up to 2 m in diameter. The arrangement of its strong branches resembles the backbone of a fish.
The leaves of the shrub are round, glossy, green in summer, bright red in autumn. Flowering begins in May, small white and pink flowers delight the eye for 22 days. The bright red fruits ripen in September and remain on the branches until spring.
Horizontal cotoneaster is presented in two types:
- Variegatus- a low shrub up to 30 cm, with a crown growing up to 1.5 m in diameter. On the green leaves of the bush there is a white stripe along the edge;
- Perpusillis– a dwarf plant (up to 20 cm), as the crown grows it grows up to a meter. The slow-growing bush blooms with pink flowers in June. At the end of summer, Perpusillis is covered with scarlet berries. The leaves are green in summer and turn burgundy in autumn.
Dammer's cotoneaster (Cotoneaster dammeri)
Dummer cotoneaster looks similar to the previous, horizontal view. It grows naturally in the mountainous areas of China. This shrub has branches that creep along the ground, which allows it to reproduce spontaneously.
The shoots branch in one plane and grow in diameter, not rising above 30 cm. The leaves of Dummer's cotoneaster are dense and small, the shape of the leaves is ellipsoidal. In autumn, like many cotoneasters, the plant changes the green color of its leaves to red.
It blooms with red inflorescences and subsequently bears fruit with coral-colored berries. Cotoneaster fruits can stay on the branches for a long time. This species has been popular since 1900. The most popular varieties:
- Eykhol h – up to 60 cm tall, with reddish-orange fruits;
- Coral Beauty– up to 40 cm, with red fruits, large but single;
- Stockholm- a tall, up to a meter, shrub with bright red fruits.
Cotoneaster adpressus
This is a low-growing species of cotoneaster, growing up to half a meter. The diameter of its crown is a meter. Its branches seem to spread along the ground, the crown looks pressed to the ground. The leaves of cotoneaster are small, round, light green, and scarlet in autumn. The species is slow growing, reaching maximum growth within 10 years.
Did you know? In Tibetan medicine, the fruits, bark and leaves of cotoneaster are widely used for medicinal purposes. Decoctions and infusions from different parts of the plant are used to treat skin diseases, nervous disorders and problems of the digestive system.
Cotoneaster multiflorus
The homeland of multi-flowered cotoneaster is the Caucasus, Central Asia, the western territories of China and Western Siberia. The shrub is tall, growing up to 3 m in height. It has curved thin shoots. Wide leaves in the shape of an irregular ellipse change color seasonally: in summer - green with a silvery tint, in autumn - purple.
The inflorescences are small, white, and during the flowering period the bush seems to be covered with snow. The fruits are large, round, bright red in color. The plant loves illuminated areas; due to the small number of the species, it is protected in nature reserves. In Europe, the crop is grown in botanical gardens.
Attention! Despite their frost resistance, young plants must be protected from frost for the winter.
Cotoneaster melanocarpus
Cotoneaster aronia gets along well in the middle zone. It is quite winter-hardy; in its natural environment it lives in the Caucasus, northern China, Europe and Central Asia. The height of the plant reaches 2 meters, the branches are brown with a red tint.
Egg-shaped leaves up to 5 cm long. The upper side of the leaf is rich green, the underside is whitish. Racemose inflorescences with pink flowers, blooming in May, last up to 25 days. This crop has edible black fruits. Aronia cotoneaster has been cultivated since 1829.
Interesting! Various decorative accessories are made from chokeberry wood: souvenirs, smoking pipes, spectacular carved canes.
Pink cotoneaster (Cotoneaster roseus)
Pink cotoneaster distributed in India, Iran and Pakistan. Low, up to one and a half meters, shrub. Thin red shoots have a edge at a young age, but become bare when mature.
Common cotoneaster is considered an evergreen or deciduous plant, from which hedges are formed and landscapes are landscaped. The plant is also a wonderful honey plant that attracts insects. They will pollinate fruit bushes and trees, and vegetables in the garden. Let's take a closer look at what types of shrubs there are, how to plant and care for cotoneaster, as well as its propagation.
Brief description of the bush
Common cotoneaster grows slowly, has no thorns, and reaches a height of up to 2.5 meters. It is rare to see small cotoneaster trees in the garden. The plant has ovate leaves, dark green in color, which turn slightly red in autumn. The shrub blooms with white or pink flowers and bears fruit with red or black fruits.
Cotoneaster has a dense crown and a large number of branches from which you can create a green figurine of any shape. Bushes are often planted to create hedges, which in the fall are abundantly covered with red or black berries and reddish-green leaves.
Cotoneaster withstands drought and frost, and is also not afraid of dust and gas pollution, which is why it is often planted in big cities near roads. There are more than 40 types of cotoneaster, from which you can choose the most suitable option to decorate your territory.
There are also varieties of cotoneaster, the fruits of which are often used for cooking. The berries have an antiseptic effect and help improve body tone. Edible chokeberry bush is used to prepare decoctions that help cure gastrointestinal diseases, nervous disorders, epilepsy, liver and kidney diseases.
On the territory of our country you can often find the following types of cotoneaster:
- Common cotoneaster is an upright, deciduous shrub with a rounded crown and wide ovate leaves. The leaves are smooth, shiny, dark green on top, and pubescent below, like felt. This variety tolerates frost best of all, grows on any soil, is used to create hedges, and loves intense sunlight. Fruits with white-pink or red fruits;
- Shiny cotoneaster is a densely branched, upright growing shrub with shiny oval leaves and pink inflorescences. The plant attracts with its rich green and purple-red leaves. Fruits in the form of balls have no taste. But they remain on the branches of the bush until winter;
- Chokeberry cotoneaster has ovate leaves, pink flowers, which are collected in loose clusters and emit a pleasant aroma. The cotoneaster bush bears fruit with spherical black fruits. Tolerates frosts, grows on any soil, propagates by seeds or cuttings;
- horizontal cotoneaster grows only 50 centimeters. Its shoots spread along the ground. The bush has small round leaves that are green and red in autumn. Blooms with pink-red flowers. This variety needs fertile soil and cannot always survive severe frost. But it can withstand drought and needs frequent pruning as it grows quickly. Decorative rock gardens are created from it;
- Dummer's cotoneaster has small leathery leaves, creeping and rooting shoots. It blooms with red inflorescences and bears coral-red fruits. Bright fruits with burgundy leaves of the bush beautifully decorate garden areas in autumn. This type of plant can grow in any soil, well-lit or slightly shaded area. Tolerates drought and frost if covered with snow.
It is necessary to take note that to create hedges it is recommended to plant shiny and chokeberry cotoneaster, and for alpine hills it is best to choose a horizontal type of cotoneaster.
Features of planting shrubs
Cotoneaster is planted or replanted in the spring, when the ground has already warmed up well, but the buds have not yet blossomed. Any type of shrub can be safely replanted in the spring. Shiny and black-fruited cotoneaster are best planted in the fall before the first frost.
Read also: Planting, care, propagation of Kampsis liana
Any soil can be used for planting, but to prevent the accumulation of moisture near the roots, the soil must be well drained. Fill the dug trenches with expanded clay, broken bricks or coarse sand mixed with gravel.
It is also advisable to prepare the soil so that the bush grows beautifully and bears fruit well. Mix one part peat compost with two parts turf soil and the same amount of sand. For better health of the bush, you can add a glass of lime to the soil for each meter of trench.
The procedure for planting cotoneaster is as follows:
- Dig holes measuring 80x100 centimeters deep.
- Cover the bottom of each hole with drainage.
- Fill the hole halfway with pre-prepared soil.
- Pour water and mix it with the soil.
- Place cotoneaster seedlings in the center of each hole.
- Spread the roots and cover them with soil.
Water the planted bushes again. Mulch the tree trunk circles. Trim the crown by a third. This procedure is carried out so that the roots of the seedlings feed the branches and foliage more easily.
It is also necessary to remember that between each plant there must be a distance of 0.5 - 2 meters, depending on the type.
A cotoneaster hedge is planted a little differently. Choose the appropriate type of shrub. Mark and dig planting trenches measuring 70x90 centimeters. Fill the trench halfway with the prepared soil. Plant the seedlings at a distance of 30 centimeters. Pinch the tops of the plants at a height of half a meter. Determine the contour of the future hedge and pinch the tops. Two years after planting, beautiful hedges can be formed from the grown bushes by cutting off excess branches.
Features of plant care
Cotoneaster does not require special attention to care for; it is enough to water the plants immediately after planting, and then not water for a long time. Avoid over-wetting the soil to prevent the bush from dying due to too much water. If the summer is too hot, it is recommended to water the cotoneaster once every 14 days, using 5 buckets of water for each bush.
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It is important to regularly remove all weeds, loosen the soil under the bushes, and shower the leaves on hot days to wash away dust from them.
Shrub pruning is carried out as follows:
- every spring it is necessary to do anti-aging pruning;
- To create a landscape composition, formative pruning is carried out in early spring. The bushes are cut radically with special tools.
At any time, you can carry out sanitary pruning of protruding sills.
Top dressing
Also, cotoneaster needs proper fertilizer. In the spring, the bush needs to be fed with nitrogen fertilizers, urea diluted in water or Kemira-universal granules.
Before flowering, the plant is fertilized with potassium mixed with superphosphate. In autumn, the soil around the bushes is mulched with peat.
Cotoneaster protection
- Very rarely, but still, sometimes cotoneaster is attacked by aphids, spider mites and scale insects. If young shoots begin to dry out, special systemic preparations are used to combat aphids.
- The spider mite envelops the branches of the bush with a thin web. To combat such a pest, you can use Fitoverm, Neoron.
- Karbofos or Rogor fights moths on the plant. Processing is carried out twice with a break of 14 days.
- Cotoneaster may suffer due to a fungal disease - fusarium. The bushes are treated with fungicides, and diseased branches are pruned and burned.
Almost all varieties of cotoneaster can withstand frost. It is enough to mulch the soil with peat in the fall. If you still have concerns about the safety of the bushes, bend them to the ground, fix them in this position and cover them with dried leaves. If snow falls in winter, you can remove the leaves from the bushes so that they can winter without shelter. If the winter turns out to be snowless, you can additionally cover the bushes with spruce branches.
How does cotoneaster reproduce?
There are types of cotoneaster that reproduce only by seed; there are those that can be propagated by cuttings, layering, or dividing the bush. If you choose propagation by seeds, take note that the seeds have low germination rate, so they are sown with a reserve. Seeds are sown before wintering, and excess shoots are removed in the spring.
Propagation by seeds
Collect the fruits of the bush and let them dry slightly. Remove the seeds and rinse with water. Place in a glass of liquid. Collect and discard the floating seeds, and those that have sunk can be used for further processing.
Mix sowing material with sand and peat. Moisten, place in boxes and store until spring at a temperature of 0 degrees. During wintering, the seeds undergo natural stratification and are ready for planting.
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In the spring, prepare the soil, sow the seeds and water. After some time, shoots will appear. Excess sprouts can be removed.
Cuttings
In June, cut the cuttings for rooting. Place the cut branches in water with a growth stimulator for 24 hours. After a while, plant them at an angle of 45 degrees in beds with light, loose soil made of sand and peat. Pour warm water and cover with a plastic cap. From time to time it needs to be removed so that the shoots do not dry out.
Water the cuttings without removing the cap, making small holes in it. Next spring, transplant the rooted cuttings to a permanent place of growth.
Reproduction by layering
The creeping and horizontal type of cotoneaster is often propagated by layering. Bend the young shoots to the soil and secure them with metal staples. Sprinkle humus at the attachment point.
Next spring, carefully separate the cuttings from the main bush with a shovel and plant them in a permanent place. Propagating cotoneaster in this way is considered the most reliable and simplest option.
Dividing the bush
Large mature bushes are divided into parts and planted in different holes. The division of the bush is carried out in spring or autumn. The delenki are immediately planted in the prepared pits. This method of propagation is the fastest and the survival rate of the bushes is high.
Is it worth planting cotoneaster?
If you are wondering whether it is worth planting cotoneaster on your site, remember that it is often used by designers when creating landscape beauty. When choosing a cotoneaster variety before planting, consider the following requirements for the plant:
- the bush should be well suited to the climatic conditions of the area;
- throughout the year the plant should have an attractive appearance;
- caring for a bush should be convenient and pleasant;
- the soil of the site must be suitable for cotoneaster;
- the bush must withstand drought, severe frosts or other weather conditions;
- Also, the plant should not need constant replanting.
It is the cotoneaster that meets all the points described, so you can safely plant it on your site. The bush also keeps the soil from crumbling, especially if the area is sandy or located on a strong slope.
Thanks to a chic living hedge made of cotoneaster, you can hide any imperfections in your garden.
Now you know how to plant and care for cotoneaster, what types of shrubs there are, and how it reproduces. Do not hesitate whether to plant a plant in your garden or country house. Be sure to plant it and enjoy the beautiful view, pleasant aroma and healthy fruits throughout the year. It is only important to choose a more suitable type of cotoneaster and plant it correctly.
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.