Creeping cotoneaster

Sun

Full sun to partial shade; flowering, fruiting and autumn colour are usually best in sun.

Water

Water regularly during establishment. Once established, it tolerates some drought but benefits from deep watering during prolonged dry spells.

Soil

Well-drained soil, including sandy, loamy or moderately clay-rich ground; tolerates a broad pH range. Avoid waterlogged sites.

Height

1-2 ft (0.3-0.6 m)

Spread

4-6 ft (1.2-1.8 m)

Flowers

Small white flowers, often flushed pink, in late spring to early summer.

Foliage

Small, rounded to oval, dark green leaves with distinctly wavy margins; often turn red or burgundy before falling in autumn.

Growth

Slow to moderate

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Drought tolerant
• Cold hardy
• 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

   1.5 ft (0.45 m)

   full size

About 7 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

Growth rate

Slow

• Water deeply during the first growing season whenever the soil beneath the surface becomes dry.
• Keep weeds out while the branches spread; established mats are difficult to weed thoroughly.
• Apply a thin layer of organic mulch between plants, keeping it away from the main stems.
• Avoid routine heavy feeding; use a light spring feed only where growth is weak and the soil is poor.
• Allow room for the full spread rather than repeatedly clipping the edges.

Pruning. Prune lightly in late winter or early spring, removing dead, damaged and badly placed branches at their origin. Shorten only shoots that overrun paths or neighbouring plants; frequent shearing spoils the natural branching and reduces flowers and fruit.

Late winter

Remove dead wood and selectively shorten branches that have spread beyond their allotted space.

Spring

Plant when the soil is workable, water thoroughly and mulch the surrounding soil.

Late spring

Check new shoots for sudden blackening or dieback that could indicate fire blight.

Summer

Water young plants during dry weather and pull weeds before they become tangled in the branches.

Late summer

Take semi-ripe cuttings from healthy, non-flowering shoots.

Autumn

Remove unwanted seedlings and check whether low branches have rooted beyond the intended planting area.

• Plant on a sunny bank to form a low, spreading cover once established.
• Let branches trail over a low retaining wall, with room below for their natural spread.
• Use beside rocks and gravel with creeping thyme and dwarf conifers for contrasting textures.
• Place along the front of a shrub border where its autumn leaves and red fruit remain visible.

Garden styles it suits: Low-maintenance, Dry gravel garden, Autumn colour, Winter interest and Traditional.

Plant it with: Creeping thyme, Dwarf juniper, Blue fescue, English lavender and Stonecrop.

Wildlife: Flowers provide food for visiting bees and other insects. Birds eat the fruits and can carry the seeds into nearby ground; the low branches also provide cover for small animals.

• Fire blight: shoots may suddenly wilt and blacken. Prune well below affected growth into healthy wood during dry weather, disinfect tools between cuts and avoid excessive nitrogen feeding.
• Spider mites: foliage becomes finely stippled or bronzed in hot, dry conditions. Water drought-stressed plants and rinse leaf undersides; use a labelled insecticidal soap if necessary.
• Leaf spot: spotted leaves may fall early in damp conditions. Clear fallen leaves, avoid overhead watering and improve air circulation.
• Root decline in wet soil: yellowing, dieback and poor growth can follow prolonged saturation. Improve drainage or move the plant to a better-drained position.

Not an edible berry plant. Fruits, particularly their seeds, and leaves contain cyanogenic compounds and may be harmful to people, cats and dogs if eaten. Small accidental ingestions usually cause no symptoms or stomach upset, but larger amounts can be more serious. Horse-specific evidence is limited; keep it out of grazing areas and seek medical or veterinary advice after significant ingestion.

• Rockspray cotoneaster (Cotoneaster horizontalis)

  Has conspicuous, regular herringbone branching, generally a taller framework and flatter, less wavy-edged leaves.

• Bearberry cotoneaster (Cotoneaster dammeri)

  Usually evergreen, with larger, longer leaves and trailing stems that root readily along the ground.

• Small-leaved cotoneaster (Cotoneaster microphyllus)

  Usually evergreen, with narrower leaves that are pale or felted beneath, rather than the rounded, rippled, deciduous leaves of creeping cotoneaster.

Cotoneaster means quince-like, referring to the foliage, while adpressus means pressed close, describing the low-growing habit.

Propagation. Take semi-ripe cuttings in late summer, or layer a low branch and separate it once well rooted. Seed needs dormancy-breaking treatment and germination can be slow and uneven; seedlings may differ from the parent.

Accepted botanical name

Cotoneaster adpressus

In the US and Canada

Introduced in the lower 48 states.

Native range

Assam, China North-Central, China South-Central, East Himalaya, Myanmar, Nepal, Qinghai, Tibet and West Himalaya.

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