Rockspray cotoneaster

Sun

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

Water

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

Soil

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

Height

2-3 ft (0.6-0.9 m)

Spread

5-8 ft (1.5-2.4 m)

Flowers

Small pinkish-white flowers in late spring to early summer, followed by red berries in autumn.

Foliage

Small, rounded, glossy dark-green leaves turn orange-red or red-purple in autumn. Usually deciduous, though some leaves may persist in mild winters.

Growth

Moderate

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

   1.6 ft (0.5 m)

2. After 1 year

   1.8 ft (0.55 m)

3. After 2 years

   2 ft (0.6 m)

4. After 3 years

   2.1 ft (0.65 m)

5. After 5 years

   2.5 ft (0.75 m)

   full size

About 5 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 UK

Growth rate

Moderate

• Water deeply through the first growing season whenever the root zone starts to dry.
• Apply a thin organic mulch, keeping it clear of the main stems.
• Do not feed routinely; use a light spring feed only if growth is weak and soil is poor.
• Allow room for the full spread rather than repeatedly shearing the branch tips.
• Remove seedlings and unwanted rooted branches promptly, especially near natural habitats.

Pruning. In late winter, remove dead, damaged or crossing branches and shorten only stems that obstruct paths or neighbouring plants. Avoid shearing, which spoils the herringbone framework and reduces flowering and fruiting.

Late winter

Prune selectively to preserve the branching pattern; remove dead or damaged wood.

Spring

Plant where permitted, water thoroughly and mulch without covering the stems.

Late spring

Check new shoots for aphids and watch for blackened, wilted tips that may indicate fire blight.

Summer

Water young plants during dry weather and remove unwanted shoots rooting into nearby soil.

Autumn

Check surrounding beds for seedlings; where escape is a concern, remove fruit before birds disperse it.

Winter

Check drainage after heavy rain and clear debris from the base without damaging the low branches.

• Let branches cascade over a low retaining wall where the herringbone framework can be seen.
• Use on a sunny, well-drained bank for low woody cover, only where it is not invasive.
• Place beside steps or a raised bed, allowing enough clearance for its mature spread.
• Combine with spring bulbs and low ornamental grasses for seasonal contrast beneath the spreading branches.

Garden styles it suits: Traditional, English country, Cottage garden, Dry gravel garden, Autumn colour and Winter interest.

Plant it with: Lavender, Catmint, Creeping thyme, Dwarf daffodils and Blue fescue.

Wildlife: Flowers provide nectar and pollen for bees. Birds eat the berries and shelter in the branches, but they also carry seeds into natural habitats.

• Fire blight causes blackened, hooked shoot tips: prune well below visible damage in dry weather, disinfect tools between cuts and avoid excessive nitrogen feeding.
• Aphids distort young growth: wash off small colonies with water and allow ladybirds and other predators to work.
• Scale insects weaken stems: inspect branches, prune heavily infested growth and use a labelled horticultural oil when appropriate.
• Waterlogged soil can cause root decline: improve drainage or move the plant to a raised, freely drained position.

Treat the berries, especially the seeds, and the leaves as potentially harmful to people, cats, dogs and horses because they contain cyanogenic compounds. Small accidental berry ingestions usually cause little or mild stomach upset, but larger amounts may be more serious. Do not use the fruit as food or allow pets or livestock to browse it; seek medical or veterinary advice after significant ingestion.

Where it spreads. Invasive in parts of the United Kingdom, where it colonises limestone grassland and rocky habitats; it is listed on Schedule 9 in England and Wales, making it an offence to plant or otherwise cause it to grow in the wild.

• Rockspray cotoneaster 'Perpusillus' (Cotoneaster horizontalis 'Perpusillus')

  A smaller, tighter-growing form of the same species, with smaller leaves and shorter branches; the herringbone arrangement remains visible.

• Cranberry cotoneaster (Cotoneaster apiculatus)

  Has a more loosely mounded habit, generally larger leaves and less regular herringbone branching.

• Bearberry cotoneaster (Cotoneaster dammeri)

  Forms a flatter, evergreen carpet with longer trailing stems and larger, more elongated leaves, without the distinct herringbone framework.

Cotoneaster means quince-like, referring to the leaves, while horizontalis describes the spreading, nearly horizontal branches.

Propagation. Take semi-ripe cuttings in summer or layer a low branch and separate it once rooted. Seed needs pretreatment and germination can be slow; avoid propagating it where invasive or restricted.

Accepted botanical name

Cotoneaster horizontalis

In the US and Canada

Introduced in Canada and the lower 48 states.

Native range

China North-Central, China South-Central, China Southeast and Taiwan.

Measured

Soil pH 5.5 to 7. Average height 70 cm.

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