So, you want to grow some cotoneaster in your garden.
Are you drawn to those gorgeous red berries? Or perhaps the dense green foliage?
This perennial shrub can be everything from plant cover to a privacy hedge.
You’ll see that it’s extremely versatile and wonder why you didn’t plant it earlier.
Let’s dive in and learn about cotoneaster care.
Last updated: 2/28/23.
Guide Contents
Quick care guide: Cotoneaster
| Plant type | Perennial |
| Origin | Europe, Asia, Africa |
| Scientific name/family | Cotoneaster |
| Other names | – |
| Soil type | Well-draining, acidic, alkaline, loose, high-quality, organic |
| Soil pH | 5-8 |
| Sunlight requirement | Full sun |
| Bloom season | Summer (leaves), winter (berries) |
| Colors | White, pink, green, red, orange, blue |
| Max height | 20 feet |
| Max width | 6 feet |
| Temperature | 40-60F |
| Humidity | Low |
| Watering requirements | Often during first year until established roots and hot days, reduce during winter |
| Fertilizer requirements | Very low (20-20-20 or 10-5-5), use organic compost, manure, or leaves to supplement |
| Days until germination | 1-2 years (from seed) |
| Days until bloom | Many years (from seed), 1-3 growing seasons (from cuttings) |
| Speed of growth | Very slow |
| Hardiness zones | 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 |
| Plant depth | 3 times diameter of root ball |
| Plant spacing | 5-6 feet |
| Propagation | Seed, cuttings |
| Common pests | Scale, mites, aphids, spider mites, caterpillars, webworms, sawfly |
| Common diseases | Fire blight, leaf spots, mildew, leaf crumpler |
| Beginner friendly | Yes |
| Care level | Low |
| Uses | Decoration, color, centerpiece, bonsai, indoor plant, outdoor plant, soil erosion preventer, fence plant, trellis plant, wildlife attractant, privacy hedge, plant cover, border/pathway plant |
What exactly is cotoneaster?
Cotoneaster is a shrub that produces signature red berries, similar to the look of winter hollyberries.
The benefit of cotoneaster is that it produces these gorgeous berry fruits in just 3 seasons, so you can quickly add some decor or color to your garden and not have to wait forever for it to bear fruit.
The berries are technically called “pomes.” They’re usually a dark shade of red, but can be as bright as a cranberry in terms of color.
The pomes perfectly complement the plant’s natural lime green leaves and flowers. The foliage range from green to pink to white petals that produce the berries.
For anyone who wants a low maintenance plant that attracts a wide variety of wildlife (like birds), cotoneaster is an excellent choice.
What does cotoneaster look like?
Cotoneaster has a distinct appearance mainly because of the red berries.
Other than the pomes, they also have many different colors they can show off in their leaves and foliage- crimson, orange, yellow, scarlet, and white.
This particular plant can be both deciduous or evergreen and produces enough color for your eyes to appreciate in just a few seasons.
Sure, the pomes are the highlight of the plant, but it’s the background foliage that complements the berries.
The plant is a short and bushy shrub that can be used as a small hedge or barrier plant requiring very low maintenance due to its hardy nature.
You really don’t need to do much to keep cotoneaster thriving. It’s a workhorse.
The leaves are smooth and not jagged. They can be a variety of different shapes- from oval-shaped to round shaped.
The shrubs are dimorphic with extra lengthy branches that hold all those numerous berries- this is why they need those thick branches. The flowers stem offshoots that stem from the branches.
So you have these long branches that need to support berries, short shoots, and flowers all at once. That’s why they’re thick and sturdy.
As for color, you have plenty of options.
Depending on the cultivar you choose, the color can range from orange, green, maroon, white, pink, cream, red, and more.
Colors generally show up in the early summer in the flowers, followed by the berries.
Each plant produces up to 100 flowers around the summertime and attracts many different beneficial insects, bees, and birds to the garden.
Then, the berries come out in the fall which is the spotlight of the entire bloom cycle.
Is cotoneaster a perennial?
Cotoneaster is a perennial shrub and looks very similar to holly berry or hawthorns.
They come back every year if kept properly and don’t need to be constantly replanted in the garden.
Because of their hardy nature, they’re sort of a “set and forget” type of plant- would you want to constantly be replanting your hedges over and over in your yard?
Can you grow cotoneaster from cuttings?
Yes, you can grow and propagate cotoneaster from cuttings. It’s preferred over starting from seed because seeds take forever with a low germination rate.
Cuttings are quick and have a higher chance to root, which means you can transplant the cotoneaster into your garden and enjoy the summer colors faster than starting from seed.
This guide covers both seed and cutting methods.
How fast does cotoneaster grow?
Cotoneaster is a rapidly growing plant that thrives in full sun conditions. It doesn’t need anything other than a lot of sunlight and water.
Even in drought conditions with no plant food, cotoneaster will still grow.
This perennial shrub is considered to be invasive in many countries, including the US. So that’s good for you- it grows quickly even if you don’t take care of it.
So it’ll continue to forgive rookie mistakes in the garden and thrive even in suboptimal conditions. This makes it a good plant for beginners that want a privacy hedge or bush with plenty of berries to brighten up the yard.
How do I start cotoneaster?
They can be started from seed or cuttings.
The seed will take many years to finally start a primary stem while cuttings will establish themselves by the next growing season (spring). If you want the fastest results, then stick with cuttings.
Seeds can be rewarding, but they’re not for the impatient garden.
And many newbie gardeners tend to want to see sprouts immediately, which isn’t the case for cotoneaster. It takes time to start from seed.
What are they good for?
Cotoneaster can be used as a complimentary bush to fences and borders, pathing, hedges, foundations, wall linings, or for plant coverage in the garden.
They can help add shade to keep the garden cooler and also prevent erosion on sloped surfaces.
Cotoneaster is a versatile shrub that is extremely easy to grow and can even be planted in containers. The red berries that emerge in the autumn can also add plenty of color to your garden with their eye-catching color and high numbers.
This plant is hardy, tough, and tolerant of beginner mistakes.
There are many different types of them and they can be used for a variety of different purposes with your choice of evergreen or deciduous shrubs.
Pink and white flowers with green leaves and red berries all around. They grow all over the US, but USDA hardiness zones 5-8 are the most successful as it matches their native profile.
Some cotoneaster plants are good for low ground coverage as they grow horizontally and offer plenty of foliage for soil surfaces. Others are tall and can top heights of 25 feet.
They can be pruned and tried to shape and size to suit your needs.
Are the berries poisonous?
The berries are indeed toxic to humans, dogs, cats, and other animals when eaten, so avoid doing so. Wash your hands after handling or pruning the plant.
Although the tiny red berries may look appealing, they’re inedible and will cause a toxic reaction. Each berry is about 0.25” in diameter and contains a few seeds.
They stay on the branch until next year (from fall to spring).
Cotoneaster varieties
There are well over 250 different types of cotoneaster plant varieties and everything in between.
Because they can be crossbred, hybrids exist and new ones are being discovered over time.
Even though there are many different classifications of them, they’re all very similar in terms of care and basic TLC. This includes their soil type, sunlight requirements, water requirements, plant food, propagation, etc.
Types of cotoneaster
Here are some popular types of cotoneaster grown in the garden.
Bearberry
Good for ground cover with white flowers and red berries.
Traditional colorings with a bronze purple foliage in the autumn.
Doesn’t grow too tall and sticks to the ground. Good for gardens that have a lot of space and are bare.
Emerald Beauty
This strain features fire blight resistance and offers plenty of dense, green leaves.
The leaves are lustrous and green, which is where the emerald name comes from. The flowers are white and the berries are orange. This is a compact cotoneaster and is self-pruning, so for those who want a real low maintenance hedge, this is it.
Perfect for low cover with a max height of 24 inches and 3 feet width.
Emerald beauty can be grown in hardiness zones 5-9 and very hardy. It can also be grown in containers due to its low need for space.
Peking cotoneaster
Peking offers a splash of different colors including green, yellow, red, and orange.
The berries are purple with a rounded shape. The leaves are ovular with smoothed sides and dense foliage. Peking grows tall at 10 feet in height with a 6 feet width.
It can be used as a vertical climbing cotoneaster for fences and trellises or as a screen plant for hedging. It can also be trimmed to shape. Hardy in zones 3-7.
Hedge cotoneaster
C. Lucidus is good for screening hedges because of their 12 feet height.
Yes, this is a tall cotoneaster and perfect for hedging when trimmed and sheared to the right shape and size. The flowers are rounded with dark green, full cover.
Perfect for privacy or fenced gardens that have property lines.
Cranberry cotoneaster
Cranberry isn’t actually cranberry- let’s get that out of the way first.
This type gets its name from the bright red berries that are large and rounded displayed against the dense green leaves with plenty of cover. The berries cascade and offer a splash of color to any garden with gold, red, purple, and green.
The plant is self rooting and can be used to cover ground or as a low privacy hedge. Perfect for borders or pathing as well as erosion control.
Cranberry grows up to 36 inches and 6 feet across. It can be planted in hardiness zones 4-7.
This is my favorite one by far because of the classic berries.
Coral beauty
This is a perfect plant for ground cover and has pink berries with white flowers.
The leaves are green in the spring and turn to a bronze color in the autumn.
The overall size is compact, making it a good cotoneaster choice for smaller gardens. Perfect for plant cover at a size of 18 inches high and 6 feet wide. Does well in zones 6-10.
Some cultivars are excellent at branching out horizontally providing coverage for your garden’s bare spots. Others are good at climbing vertically which can be turned into hedge plants.
The branches tend to be most dense where they touch the soil’s surface and expand out from those points.
Cultivars that grow upright take the form of bushy, shrubs that can be shaped to look like anything you want. It’ll have a combination of red berries against a green blanket of foliage, which makes it easy to work into any landscaping scene.
Some other popular types worth a mention:
- Franchetii
- Rockspray
- Dammeri
- Salicifolius
How to plant cotoneaster
Here are the general steps to grow and propagate cotoneaster from seed and cuttings.
Depending on the cultivar you’re planting, your needs may slightly vary.
However, these steps should give you a good idea of what to expect during the process.
When to plant
The best time to plant is in the early spring.
This is when new growth starts naturally in its seasonal cycles. If you’re growing in a container, you can start in the fall.
Cuttings should be started in the early spring after they’ve been successfully rooted over the winter.
Remember, you’re PLANTING the cotoneaster in the spring, but you’re preparing and rooting in the fall. Note that these are two different things.
Hardiness zone
Cotoneaster grows in zones 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8.
Some people have successfully propagated this plant in chilly zones like zone 3 due to its hardy nature.
Higher zones (such as 9) are also possible. If you live in any of these hardiness zones, you should be able to grow cotoneaster without issue. The hardest part is choosing which type you want to grow.
Prepping the seeds
Cotoneaster can be grown from seeds, but do you want to when you can grow from cuttings? Seeds take up to 2 years to fully germinate, so you’ll be waiting for a long time.
Who has time for that?
One of the main perks of growing a cotoneaster plant is that it grows quickly and fills out your garden with color in just 3 seasons- why wait for more than necessary?
But some people like planting straight from seed. It’s more rewarding in that manner. So if that’s your thing, I won’t judge.
Seeds can be harvested from ripe berries in the fall. If you have a friend or neighbor that already has ripened pomes, ask to harvest some of their berries and cut them open to collect the seeds.
Wear your PPE as the berries are toxic.
After harvesting the seeds, the next step is to expose them to cold.
Cotoneaster requires cold stratification for the seeds to properly germinate and sprout. In nature, the seeds are exposed to a few months of cold weather (winter) so they can sprout in the spring when temperatures pick back up. We need to emulate this behavior in the garden.
First, scar the seeds. Put some dirt, substrate, and rocks together in a small mixing bowl and put the seeds in there too. Then mix it so the seeds get scarred.
Place the seeds in some organic, well-draining compost and cover them with a thin layer of backfill. You can place them in containers and shelter them outside in a greenhouse or cold frame.
They need to stay outside throughout the cold winter to get the exposure they need. The soil should remain moist throughout the entire duration.
After the spring comes around, you can sow the seeds. The roots should be visible by the time you plant.
Planting from cuttings
Growing cotoneaster from cuttings is my preference because it’s a lot quicker to propagate and see the fruit of your efforts (no pun intended).
It’s also easier to do overall with a much higher success rate compared to germinating from seed (which could be a waste of time).
The method takes already established cotoneaster plants and cutting off sections that can be replanted on their own.
Depending on the type of plant you extract the cuttings from, you need to decide when is the right time to plant.
Evergreen cuttings should be cut in the late summer, while deciduous cuttings should be taken in midsummer.
Each cutting should be carefully extracted from the original plant with a pair of sterilized scissors or pruners. This is important because you don’t want any bacteria or fungus to get on the exposed part of the cutting, which can ruin your new plant entirely.
Cut about 6” of the stem. This stem should be new growth.
Trim off any leaves or flowers that are attached to it on the lower 30% of it. Leave some of the new growth foliage.
- For evergreens, you’ll want to cut the hardwood stems.
- For deciduous, you’ll want to cut the softwood stems.
The cut end that’s exposed will be planted in the soil. You can use some high-quality rooting hormone to encourage rooting in the new cutting.
There are many different types out there, but any basic powder or gel will do. Use as directed.
Grab a knife and gently scrape the bark around the exposed end about 1” up. The exposed plant flesh will allow the cutting to root properly.
Stick the cuttings into containers in the garden and water generously for the first time around.
Keep them out in the cold, but protected from the elements using a cold frame or greenhouse throughout the winter. The soil should remain moist and humid, but not waterlogged.
After the temps are warmer in the spring, the cutting should have established roots. They’re ready to be translated.
Planting from transplants
Buying a pre-grown cotoneaster in a container can be beneficial because you already know that the seeds have germinated and you can just transplant it and be done with it.
The cotoneaster seeds have been grown for you and are ready to be placed in your garden.
Sometimes, the extra price you pay is worth it for the time you save- especially since cotoneaster takes years to sow from seed.
Take the cotoneaster and remove it from the container carefully. Choose a good location in your yard for the transplant with high quality, well-draining soil.
Supplement with some aged compost, manure, or leaf matter. This will provide ample nutrients to the plant and help it reduce transplant shock.
If your soil has drainage issues, you can add in some peat moss, sand, or gravel to help improve the drainage at the bottom.
This allows the water to drain out rather than become waterlogged, which can cause root rot or mold problems at the root of your plant. Transplants generally fare well if purchased in the same hardiness zone raised in the same local conditions.
You can ask the nursery for the type of soil they use or get a soil sample and measure the metrics (pH, moisture, NPK, etc.) and try to emulate it at home. This will help prevent the cotoneaster from becoming shocked when you move it.
The actual process is easy. Just remove it from the container and watch out for the roots. They’re likely to be tangled together which will need to be untangled. Root matting is also common in transplants, so be careful of those.
The crown of the root ball should be at the soil level. The roots should be under the soil level.
Add your backfill to close the gap. Make sure that the soil you add isn’t compacted.
There’s no need to “press” the soil because this will just create a pathway for the water to go around the roots.
If you like, you can add some plant fertilizer when you transplant.
Bone meal can be used to supplement plant growth.
Depending on the size of your cotoneaster, you can add more or less. Use as directed. Opt for an organic or natural bone meal for the best results.
If you’re planting against your home’s exterior, trellis, or fence, be sure to position the plant so the “good” side is facing away from the surface. I mean, you do want to see the good side of your plant, right?
Water generously for the first time. This will help the water get saturated and create water pathways for it to flow. Get on a regular watering regimen after the initial watering and don’t overdo it.
Keep the soil moist, but not waterlogged.
Choosing a place to plant
Selecting