Bearberry cotoneaster

Sun

Full sun to partial shade; flowering and berry production are usually best in sun.

Water

Water regularly during the first growing season. Once established, it tolerates dry spells but benefits from deep watering during prolonged drought.

Soil

Well-drained soil, including sandy, loamy or stony ground; tolerates a broad pH range. Avoid waterlogged soil.

Height

0.5-1 ft (0.15-0.3 m)

Spread

4-6 ft (1.2-1.8 m), eventually wider where stems root

Flowers

Small white flowers in late spring to early summer, followed by red berries that often persist into winter.

Foliage

Evergreen. Small, rounded to oval, glossy dark-green leaves with paler undersides; some turn bronze or reddish in cold weather.

Growth

Moderate to fast once established.

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Drought tolerant
• Wildlife
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Very tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   0.2 ft (0.06 m)

2. After 1 year

   0.5 ft (0.14 m)

3. After 2 years

   0.7 ft (0.22 m)

   full size

About 2 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Toxic

Invasive in

the US, Canada and Australia

In the garden

Spreads vigorously: plan to contain it.

Growth rate

Fast

• Water deeply when the root zone begins to dry during the first growing season.
• Remove perennial weeds before planting; they are difficult to extract once the stems form a mat.
• Apply a thin layer of mulch between young plants, keeping it away from the main stems.
• Feed lightly in spring only if growth is weak; rich feeding encourages excessive leafy growth.
• Lift or trim stems before they root beyond the intended planting area.

Pruning. In late winter or early spring, remove dead or damaged stems and shorten growth that reaches paths or neighbouring plants. Thin congested growth selectively rather than shearing the entire surface; heavy pruning reduces flowers and berries.

Late winter

Remove dead stems and trim growth that has spread beyond its allotted space.

Spring

Plant in well-drained ground, water thoroughly and mulch the gaps between plants.

Late spring

Check fresh shoots for aphids and distorted growth; wash off small colonies with water.

Summer

Water young plants during dry weather and remove unwanted rooted runners.

Autumn

Check nearby beds for seedlings and remove them before they establish.

Winter

Check that drainage remains free and keep fallen debris from smothering young plants.

• Cover a sunny, well-drained bank with a low evergreen mat, away from natural habitats where it could escape.
• Let stems trail over a retaining wall to soften its edge.
• Use beneath widely spaced shrubs where enough light reaches the ground.
• Combine with ornamental grasses and upright perennials for contrasting height and texture.

Garden styles it suits: Traditional, Low-maintenance, Dry gravel garden, Winter interest, Coastal and Urban city garden.

Plant it with: Lavender, Catmint, Feather reed grass, Dwarf pines and Daffodils.

Wildlife: Flowers provide nectar and pollen for insects, and birds eat the berries and may disperse the seeds. Dense growth offers cover for small animals, but it can displace native vegetation where it escapes cultivation.

• Fire blight causes blackened, dying shoots, sometimes with hooked tips. Cut back into healthy wood in dry weather, disinfect tools between cuts and avoid heavy nitrogen feeding.
• Lace bugs can cause pale stippling on leaves. Check leaf undersides and use insecticidal soap if damage is significant, following the product label.
• Root rot and dieback occur in waterlogged soil. Improve drainage or move healthy plants to a better-drained site.
• Rooting stems and bird-sown seedlings can spread beyond the bed. Remove seedlings promptly and cut off unwanted rooted growth.

The berries and seeds contain cyanogenic compounds and are potentially harmful to people, cats and dogs if eaten, particularly in quantity. Poisoning is usually mild, with stomach upset, but larger amounts can be more serious. Information specific to horses is limited; keep clippings and berries out of grazing areas and seek veterinary advice after ingestion.

Where it spreads. Escapes cultivation through bird-dispersed seed and rooting stems. It is reported as invasive in coastal British Columbia and parts of the US Pacific Northwest, and as an environmental weed in parts of Victoria and Tasmania, Australia. Check local guidance before planting near bushland, woodland or other natural areas.

• Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi)

  Also forms an evergreen mat with red fruit, but has clusters of small pinkish-white, urn-shaped flowers rather than open white flowers.

• Rockspray cotoneaster (Cotoneaster horizontalis)

  Has conspicuous herringbone branching and is usually deciduous or semi-evergreen, with strong autumn leaf colour.

• Small-leaved cotoneaster (Cotoneaster microphyllus)

  Usually has much smaller leaves with distinctly whitish, felted undersides and a more woody, mounded habit.

Cotoneaster means quince-like, dammeri honours the German botanist Udo Dammer, and bearberry refers to its resemblance to the unrelated bearberry.

Propagation. Separate naturally rooted stems in spring or autumn, or take semi-ripe cuttings in summer. Named cultivars should be propagated vegetatively because seedlings may differ from the parent.

Accepted botanical name

Cotoneaster dammeri

Native range

China North-Central and China South-Central.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0) and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.