Cotoneaster brilliant - propagation by cuttings and care

Propagation of cotoneaster by cuttings

With this method, it is necessary to cut green cuttings from the center of the stems (which are one year old).
It is best to carry out the procedure in the summer, at the end of June. Some of the leaves need to be cut off, about a third. The prepared branches are kept in a solution that stimulates the formation of roots. For planting, prepare containers filled with a mixture of peat and river sand. The cuttings are placed in the soil at an angle. After which they water well and create greenhouse conditions. To do this, just cover the branches with a jar or part of a plastic bottle. The greenhouse is removed only for a short time for ventilation, and the plants are watered regularly.

Propagating cotoneaster from cuttings is quite simple and easy. The plant does not require special care. Cuttings are planted in open ground only the next year. Because without a strong root system it will be difficult for them to take root in new conditions.

When planting cotoneaster cuttings, you need to take care of drainage in the recesses. When water accumulates at the roots, they are quickly affected by rot. If the soil on the site is too acidic, it can be neutralized by adding lime.

You can go another way of cuttings. To do this, strong, woody branches are cut off in the fall. They are stored in cool conditions until spring. You can keep the cuttings directly in the refrigerator. Then the growing procedure is exactly the same. The branches are treated with a root formation stimulator and planted in prepared holes. By autumn the cuttings will give good roots.

Shrub propagation

Cotoneasters can be propagated in different ways: by seeds or vegetatively.

Vegetative method

The vegetative method involves cuttings from green shoots or woody cuttings over the winter. To use green cuttings, choose the largest and strongest shoots that are not damaged in any way. If the shoots are soft or have become very lignified, they are not suitable for cuttings.

• Cut the branches into pieces, the length of which should be approximately 15 cm.
• Each cutting should have two internodes.
• In order for the cuttings to take root faster, they are placed for some time in a dissolved growth stimulator. This solution is made as follows: 1 tablet of the stimulant is dissolved in a liter of water and then poured into the container where the cuttings will be kept. You can also sprinkle the branches with Kornevin, which is sold in powder form.
• Before planting the cuttings, water the soil thoroughly.
• Each cutting is planted in a greenhouse or under a glass jar in coarse sand, thoroughly washed and spread in a small layer (about 5 cm). Spread it on mixed soil with turf, sand or humus with the same sand.
• The cuttings are deepened 5 cm into the sand so that the angle is 45° to the horizon.

Cuttings root in different ways, not only do they sprout in different rows, but sometimes they don’t even give roots at all. After the cuttings take root, they are slowly accustomed to the open air, taking them outside for several hours. The roots develop very well by autumn. If established seedlings are planted outside, during the first winter season they must be carefully covered with leaves or thick spruce branches. For the brilliant cotoneaster plant, propagation by cuttings is the most recommended method.

Sowing cotoneaster seeds

This beautiful shrub bears fruit abundantly with red beaded berries in which seeds are hidden. Cotoneaster can be propagated by sowing them, but this is not the most productive method. The seeds germinate very poorly, a significant part does not germinate, and the sprouts themselves slowly grow in size. To get a seedling of sufficient size, you will have to be patient and wait 3-4 years. Propagation of cotoneaster by seeds is more often practiced by breeders engaged in obtaining new plant varieties.

If difficulties do not frighten you and you want to try this method, then you need to follow these tips:

1. First, the berries wilt a little. After this, the pulp is much easier to separate from the seeds.
2. Cleaned grains are washed to completely remove it.
3. Seeds are culled in order to separate out all unpromising specimens at this stage. This is not difficult to do; just fill the planting material with water and leave for a while. Seeds that float on the surface will not sprout and are immediately thrown away.
4. The grains need to be stratified. They are kept at a temperature of 30° C for two months, and then it is gradually reduced to -5° C.
5. Cotoneaster seeds prepared in this way are sown next autumn at about 3-5 cm in depth.

The seedlings should be cared for until spring, then planted in open ground. Cotoneaster tolerates dark areas well. With sufficient lighting, the decorative features of the plant are fully revealed. Therefore, if possible, it is preferable to plant cotoneaster in an open area.

The hole for planting the plant should be 50x50x50 cm in size. Drainage at the bottom 20 cm high is required so that the roots do not rot. A mixture of peat, humus and sand (all ingredients in 1 volume) and turf (2 volumes) is poured over the drainage. To neutralize the soil reaction, you need to mix 250 g of lime.

When planting, it is important to leave enough space between plants: for small varieties 50 cm is enough, large varieties require about 2 meters.

Breeding methods

Planting and caring for shrubs is easy. Experienced gardeners jokingly call cotoneaster a plant for the lazy. In order for the plant to fully develop, appropriate conditions are initially created for it.

The crop has no special soil preferences. But if there are conditions and opportunities, you can prepare a special soil mixture. Sand, peat and turf soil are mixed in a ratio of 2:1:2, respectively. It is also recommended to add lime to the soil, approximately 300 g per square meter of area.

Growing from seeds

This method is not so common and popular among gardeners. Because you need to spend more time on this and not all of the seed material germinates (literally 50%).

• berries collected from bushes are dried a little, since this will make it easier to separate the pulp from the seeds;
• the grains are washed under running water to remove any remaining pulp;
• the seed is placed in a container of water to separate the empty grains. Good seeds will sink to the bottom, while empty, diseased seeds will float to the surface.

The seed material must be stratified. They are placed in a dark, cold place. Seeds are planted after about a year.

Dividing adult cotoneaster bushes

If the plant has grown too much, it should be divided into several parts. This procedure can be carried out both in spring and in autumn. The bush is dug up, excess soil is removed, inspected and divided into segments with good roots. Each of them is planted separately.

When planting, the root collar should not be buried; it should be flush with the ground.

After planting, the divided parts are watered daily for the first 3-4 weeks. Then irrigation is reduced and carried out no more than twice every 30 days. If there is enough natural precipitation, then the crop is watered only once a month. Water consumption for each bush is 7-8 liters.

Should you be concerned about pests and diseases?

The brilliant cotoneaster is prone to infection with fusarium. This is a fungal infection in which the mycelium grows in tissues, causing the death of the vegetative part. If it is detected, you should:

• remove affected parts of the plant;
• treat the bushes with a fungicide;
• spray the soil around the tree trunk with the same preparation.

If this is not done, the leaves will turn yellow and fall off, the flowering process will slow down, and the bush will lose its decorative effect.

Among the pests that like to visit the cotoneaster bush are aphids, scale insects, sawflies, apple moths, spider mites, and yellow bears. If “uninvited guests” are detected, the plants should be treated with insecticides. If the damage is minor, then it is enough to use folk remedies:

• wormwood decoction;
• garlic tincture;
• yarrow decoction;
• infusion of potato tops.

Cotoneaster has a strong immune system, so it rarely gets sick. If not properly cared for, the bushes weaken and become easy prey for pests or diseases.

Reproduction by layering

This propagation method is suitable for ground cover cotoneaster. Branches located close to the surface of the ground can take root on their own and produce a new bush. To speed up this process, young shoots are simply pressed to the ground with staples, lightly sprinkled with humus. By spring they will have good roots. In April, each specimen can be separated from the mother plant and planted separately.

This is a very productive method with 100% results. After all, while the branches are growing their roots, they are constantly fed by the strong mother bush.

When propagated by layering, seedlings take root well. They are quite strong and have excellent immunity to various diseases.

Regardless of the chosen method of propagating shrubs, do not forget about proper preparation for planting new specimens and good care for them. Young plants are sensitive to frost and require shelter for wintering.

Video about planting cotoneaster

How to propagate cotoneaster by layering

For groundcover cotoneaster, propagation by layering is ideal. In such plants, shoots that spread above the ground can reproduce independently. To organize and speed up the process, select the current year's shoots and attach them to the surface using metal staples. You can sprinkle humus on top. In the spring, the rooting site is carefully dug up, the branch is separated from the donor bush and transplanted to a permanent place. This method is considered one of the best: the shoot, taking root, receives the necessary nutrition from the donor thanks to an adult, well-developed root system. By the time of transplantation you have a strong and healthy seedling.

Cotoneasters: cultivation and propagation, formation of hedges

Particularly valuable are those types of cotoneasters that are frost-resistant and drought-resistant. Many species develop successfully in urban conditions and are dust-resistant and have little demands on soil fertility and moisture. However, for most species, calcareous soil is more desirable. They grow well in both light and shade. Only cotoneaster, multi-flowered and pink, bloom and bear fruit more luxuriantly in sufficient light. To protect against frost in snowless winters, it is advisable to cover these more heat-loving cotoneasters for the winter with spruce branches or fallen leaves.

Video: how to grow cotoneaster

Growing a shrub from seeds takes quite a long time. Therefore, this method is used very rarely. It is advisable to use it when breeding a new variety.

Propagation from cuttings

When you prune the bush again, you can leave the strongest branches for growing the bush. Step by step process:

• growth stimulants are diluted in a container with water and twigs are placed in it;
• as soon as the first roots appear on the cuttings, you can transplant the plant into open ground;
• the hole is prepared in advance. A hole is dug with a diameter of 35-40 cm and a depth of 40-45 cm. A drainage layer (pebbles, broken brick, sand) 15-20 cm thick is poured onto the bottom. When planting cotoneaster, one must take into account its ability to grow strongly. Therefore, the distance to the nearest beds or plants should be at least 0.5-1 m;
• It is recommended to prepare a nutritious soil mixture: two parts of garden soil are mixed with humus and sand (take one part at a time). The soil is loosened, poured onto a drainage layer and slightly moistened. The cuttings are placed in a hole and buried in soil (the branches are fixed at an angle of 45˚);
• The soil around the seedling is compacted and watered with warm water.

It is better to prepare cuttings at the beginning of summer. It is recommended to plant cotoneaster in open ground next year.

Reproduction by layering

The horizontal variety of cotoneaster is classified as a ground cover and is easily propagated through layering. Usually the branches of the bush hang very low over the ground surface, and sometimes they simply creep along the ground. Shoots quickly sprout in places of contact with the ground.

If there are no branches that have naturally sprouted, you can tilt the young flexible shoot to the ground and pin it. The place of future rooting is sprinkled with soil and must be watered on dry days. In the spring you can start seedlings. The buried branches are cut off from the bush and transplanted to the desired location.

This method is very popular for several reasons. The shoots will take root naturally and grow strong and healthy. Because they receive enhanced nutrition - from the ground and from the mother bush. If the sprouted branches are not dug up, the cotoneaster grows into a beautiful green carpet. To create a spectacular green space, initially select an open plot of land of good size.

Planting cotoneasters

All cotoneasters can easily be planted. Shrubs with an open root system are planted in a permanent place in the spring - during the period after the soil thaws and before the buds begin to open, or in the fall - from the massive fall of leaves to the first frost. For them, spring planting is most optimal, and for cotoneaster and chokeberry, autumn planting is also suitable.

In preparation for planting a cotoneaster hedge, pull the rope tightly along the line of the future row of green fencing. Only if this condition is met does the landing turn out beautiful and even. For a hedge, dig a trench 50-70 cm deep and up to 50 cm wide, for medium and small species - 35x35 cm. After planting, the soil around each plant must be compacted tightly so that voids do not form in the root zone, leading to drying out and death of the bush.

It is difficult to imagine today a high retaining wall built on a slope without the presence of horizontal cotoneaster. However, in our conditions, it is advisable to limit its use to plantings of 1-5 plants that are not difficult to cover. The characteristic habit and the way the shoots of Dummer's cotoneaster grow make this shrub indispensable for alpine hills and terraces. Ground cover cotoneasters are good in rock gardens, as they are able to entwine flat stones with branches and perfectly cover the soil around tree trunks and decorate the edges of mixborders, provided there is good lighting.

Application in landscape design

This plant is widely used in landscape design. It easily tolerates pruning and quickly recovers, and looks very beautiful, especially during flowering and after the berries ripen. But it grows slowly, so you can easily form different shapes from it. The most popular are balls, rectangles, trapezoids. For green sculptures, cotoneaster is planted one at a time or in groups of 2-3 plants. Compositions are also created with other deciduous or evergreen shrubs.

But most often this shrub is used for hedges or borders. It can be planted close together. 3-4 plants usually fit on 1 m. The distance between them should be about 30 cm. Thanks to the dense foliage, such plantings look like a solid wall. If cotoneaster is planted in one row, the result is a thin hedge; it is most often made tall. To obtain a low, wide border when planting, you need to place the plants in a checkerboard pattern.

Additional Information! Such green hedges are used for zoning, framing paths, flower beds, and protecting the estate from prying eyes and dust from the road.

A cotoneaster hedge has many advantages:

• she is beautiful at any time of the year;
• the plant takes root on any soil, even rocky, survives in the shade, in drafts;
• withstands any climate, polluted air, drought;
• does not require serious care, other than pruning it does not need anything;
• resistant to pests and almost not susceptible to diseases, except for fungal diseases.

The cotoneaster hedge looks very beautiful

Plant nutrition

It is useful for cotoneasters, and especially decorative varieties, to feed with slurry diluted 5-6 times, or bird droppings diluted 10 times. Fertilizers are applied to the soil not only before planting, but also as a top dressing during intensive plant growth. Organic fertilizers ensure the development of bacteria and increase soil fertility. Summer feeding is very effective, especially for mature shrubs, before and after flowering. During the growing season, fertilizing is carried out several times, but by August it is stopped so that the shoots stop growing and have time to become lignified by winter.

Competent care

Cotoneaster does not require constant care and easily survives any natural phenomena. When growing such a plant, it is only important to ensure that there is no excess water in its roots.

Watering and fertilizers

The powerful root systems of shrubs are capable of independently extracting the required amount of moisture from the ground. Most varieties of cotoneaster do not need regular watering (apart from planting). During too hot summer periods, they are sprayed generously with water to remove dust.

In spring, the plant should be fed with nitrogen fertilizer. It is allowed to use:

• urea diluted in water;
• Kemira granules-universal.

On the eve of flowering, the bushes are fertilized with potassium and superphosphate.

Bush pruning

Cotoneaster tolerates pruning well. Designers form shrubs of various shapes from it, using special tools. In this case, a third of the growth of annual shoots is removed. Subsequently, the formative pruning gradually grows back, maintaining the shape of the bush.

Trimming cotoneaster can also be sanitary when it is necessary to remove diseased, old, broken branches. Adult plants have to undergo anti-aging pruning.

Preparing for winter

Cotoneaster is a frost-resistant crop that usually overwinters without any shelter. It will be enough just to mulch the soil around the bush with peat. In the case of very cold and little snowy winters, you can bend the branches to the ground, carefully secure them, and then cover them with dry leaves.

Pests and diseases

Cotoneaster has stable immunity to various diseases and harmful insects. However, sometimes apple aphids appear on the underside of the leaves. Subsequently, the leaves wrinkle, the branches bend, and dry out over time. In rare cases, cotoneaster suffers from mites and scale insects. It is possible to get rid of pests if you treat the bushes with decoctions of tobacco and yarrow.

The most common disease of such shrubs is fusarium. It should be treated with fungicides, after removing the affected branches.

Bush pruning

Geometrically correct hedges made from winter-hardy cotoneaster species are particularly elegant. However, to obtain an even, neat hedge and perform shaped trimming to fit a geometric figure, you need trellis shears and a tightly stretched rope, but a template in the form of a wooden frame is better. Such a frame or frame can be made independently from bars, for example, in the form of a trapezoid, the upper part of which will be 10-15 cm narrower than the lower one. The choice of the cross-sectional shape of the hedge should correspond to its height and purpose, taking into account a small reserve for the growth of shoots. Immediately before cutting, a rope is pulled between two frames installed across the plantings, which will adjust the cutting surface with trellis shears. If the volume of pruning work is large, then its implementation will be greatly facilitated by a garden tool - a hedge trimmer. For young plantings, the height of annual cutting should increase by 5-7 cm until the required hedge size is achieved. You should not be particularly zealous in removing or trimming the lower tier of branches. It is advisable to leave it 10-15 cm wider than the top one, which grows more actively and causes partial shading of the lower shoots.

To preserve the decorative appearance of less cold-resistant cotoneasters multiflorum, racemosa and pink, and partly ground cover species, frozen, dried, broken and damaged shoots are periodically removed, i.e. carry out sanitary pruning. It can be carried out at any time of the season.

Many types of shrubs require rejuvenating pruning, which is associated with the nature of growth and regeneration of shoots. The timing of its implementation depends on the durability of the branches, and is determined not only by the biology of the species, but also often by the growing conditions of the shrub. The best time for such pruning is spring, before the buds open.

In black and pink cotoneaster, from the age of 4-5 years, the lower tier at the base of the bush is exposed, since the stem shoots weakly develop from this part. With the help of timely pruning, you can artificially cause the awakening of buds and branching in this zone. First, the central axis of the bush is shortened, then the crown is gradually thinned, thereby stimulating the resumption of shoots from the trunk and its base. Rejuvenation begins at the age of 15-18, as soon as the skeletal branches begin to dry out and the growth of shoots weakens.

Trimming and shaping

The brilliant cotoneaster is a shrub that needs a “hairstyle”. It is given the desired shape and the plant fits organically into the interior of the garden. If the cotoneaster is located singly, then the ideal option is a ball shape. But since we are talking about hedges, these are usually cube-shaped green structures.

Summer pruning of grown branches Source diz-cafe.com

Reproduction methods

Cotoneasters are propagated by seeds, which definitely need stratification, cuttings, layering, and grafting, if they are used as a rootstock for a pear.

Vegetative propagation is carried out by green (summer) and lignified cuttings . Only large, well-developed shoots in a mature state are suitable for green cuttings. If the shoot is soft or too woody and does not bend well, then it is unsuitable for green cuttings. The cuttings are cut into pieces 10-15 cm long with two internodes. To accelerate root formation, the cuttings are placed in a solution of a growth stimulant (heteroauxin), which is prepared from 1 tablet of the substance and 1 liter of water, or sprinkled with powdered Kornevin. They are planted in greenhouses under glass in well-washed coarse sand, sprinkled in a layer of 3-5 cm on the main substrate of a turf mixture or humus soil with sand. Water the soil well before planting. The cuttings are planted to a depth of 5 cm, at an angle of 45°. The boxes are placed in greenhouses and greenhouses. The rooting rate of cuttings is very different: from 30 to 95%. Rooted cuttings are gradually accustomed to fresh air. By autumn, they have formed a well-developed root system. Plants can be planted in open ground, but in the first winter they need to be covered with a leaf or spruce branches.

Cotoneasters are also propagated by lignified (winter) cuttings. To do this, the shoots are harvested in late autumn or early winter and stored in sand in basements. Only in the spring do they start cutting cuttings 10-20 cm long with three or five buds, which are subsequently rooted in the same way as green ones.

When propagating by seed, benign mature seeds are selected from mature cotoneaster fruits. They are washed from the pulp and soaked in water. In this case, up to 60% of defective seeds usually float to the surface, which are removed, leaving only viable ones.

Reproduction

It is not difficult to propagate cotoneaster; there are several ways. You can choose any depending on the location and climate. If you do everything according to the rules, the plant will quickly take root.

Seeds

This is the longest and most difficult way to propagate a plant. But it allows you to get a large number of shrubs to replace old or damaged ones. They turn out to be the same in varietal qualities. But there are two disadvantages due to which this method is rarely used. Even with proper planting, not all seeds germinate—about half. And it takes several years before you get branched bushes.

But there are several secrets that will help speed up and facilitate seed propagation of cotoneaster.

How to plant barberry

• You need to collect seeds in October, after which they are subjected to stratification - cold hardening. It is recommended to store them in a cellar or refrigerator for a year.
• Before sowing, pour the seeds with warm water. Empty ones will immediately float up, it’s better to throw them away. Leave the rest in water for a day.
• Plant the seeds directly into the ground in the fall. They need to be deepened by 3-4 cm, and then mulched well.
• Shoots should appear in the spring, some only after a year. Since not all seeds germinate, it is recommended to sow them with a reserve.

Note! When planted with seeds, cotoneaster will bloom only after 5 years.

To successfully propagate a plant by seeds, they need to be properly prepared.

Cuttings

The most popular is the propagation of brilliant cotoneaster by cuttings. This is a simple and effective way. Both green and lignified cuttings are used. Live shoots are planted in summer. The branches remaining after spring pruning are suitable for this. You need to choose pieces at least 15 cm long, each with 3-4 buds.

Before planting, such cuttings are kept for a couple of hours in a solution of any growth stimulant. Rooting takes place in greenhouse conditions. Can be planted in containers. The soil is a mixture of humus, sand and earth. It needs to be shed well, then the cuttings should be deepened by 4-5 cm. They are placed at an angle of 45˚.

Then the seedlings need to be covered with film or glass jars. They need to be opened daily to ventilate and water. The seedlings will take root within a few months. You can plant them in a permanent place in the fall, just cover them well for the winter. But it is often recommended to leave them in the greenhouse until spring so that they get stronger.

Lignified shoots, which are cut in the fall after the first frost, are also suitable for cuttings. They need to be placed in sand and stored in a cool room. Such cuttings are planted in the spring in a greenhouse or containers in the same way as green ones.

By layering

Shrubs with low-lying shoots can be propagated by layering. To do this, take branches located 10 cm above the ground. In the spring, they are bent down, secured with sticks or a wire clamp and sprinkled with fertile soil. To speed up root formation, the bark on the lower part of the branch is slightly cut. By autumn they take root, you can cut them off and replant them in a permanent place. But it is better to do this in the spring; with an adult plant, the cuttings will more easily survive the winter.

It is easy to propagate cotoneaster by layering

Dividing the bush

An adult strong plant can be replanted by dividing the bush. This should be done in early spring, before sap flow begins. A very sharp tool is used to cut off part of the bush at once. The wounds must be covered with garden varnish or sprinkled with ash. When digging up part of the plant, you need to leave a lump of earth on the roots.

Cotoneaster brilliant: features of planting and caring for shrubs

Cotoneaster is a rather interesting plant that belongs to the Rosaceae family. It is excellent for creating hedges, which is why it is actively grown in private areas and in parks or squares. In the wild, it can be found in Eastern Siberia, China and Buryatia. You can easily grow cotoneaster in urban conditions, since it is practically impervious to dust and gases, frost-resistant and drought-resistant. Let's find out how to plant brilliant cotoneaster correctly and what care to provide it so that the plant pleases with its appearance.

Description

It belongs to the genus of evergreen, sometimes deciduous, poorly growing shrubs from the Rosaceae family. The name was given to it by a botanist from Switzerland, K. Baugin, who composed it from the words: cotonea - quince, and aster - similar. Cotoneaster is similar to quince and thus deserves its name. The cotoneaster family has more than a hundred varieties and varieties that naturally live in northern Africa and Eurasia. Inexperienced gardeners often confuse the plant with dogwood and then wait in vain for delicious berries from cotoneaster. But, apart from the similarity of names, these perennials have nothing in common. They even belong to different families.

What does cotoneaster look like? This perennial is not only a shrub. Sometimes it is found in the form of a tree that grows very slowly. The plant reaches a height of 3-6 meters. Its roots are fibrous, going down to a depth of about 40 cm.

The branches are outstretched and have a blackish tint to the bark. The leaves on the branches are located opposite, have a simple oval shape, and are slightly shiny. Their color is bright green, and each leaf has 3-5 pairs of veins.

Cotoneaster brilliant: description and characteristics

Cotoneaster is a densely leafy, upright and deciduous shrub, reaching a height of two meters. It has small (about 4 cm) dark green ovoid leaves, pointed at the end. They have a smooth surface, thanks to which the plant can be classified as decorative. The leaves appear in early spring and have a soft green color.

A characteristic feature of this plant is the ability to change its color: with the arrival of autumn, the cotoneaster hedge acquires a purple color. The inflorescences are pink, corymbose and contain 5-8 flowers. Cotoneaster flowering begins in May or early June, after which round fruits similar to small berries are formed (they remain on the bushes until autumn). The cotoneaster flowers themselves are inconspicuous, but when they open at the same time, the pink buds against the background of green leaves look more than attractive, giving the bush additional decorativeness.

The fruits of the brilliant cotoneaster are formed from almost every flower. At the initial stage of ripening they are green, but over time they change color and become deep red. When the berries are fully ripe (they change color to black), dogwood of this type is quite edible.

In the wild, this shrub most often grows alone, although dense plantings of cotoneaster, which we are more accustomed to seeing in private gardens, are also often found. When grown in midland conditions, both open areas with good sunlight and shady areas are equally suitable for it, but we will talk about this later.

Popular types of cotoneaster

In nurseries that grow ornamental crops for landscaping and landscaping, the assortment of cotoneaster is not very large. Usually this:

• brilliant cotoneaster,
• cotoneaster horizontal,
• Dummer cotoneaster,
• various varieties of hybrid cotoneaster and
• cotoneaster vesica.

Sometimes seen on sale

• cotoneaster,
• cotoneaster splayed and
• cotoneaster is tiny.

Cotoneaster lucidus

Cotoneaster is the most common and hardiest species. This unpretentious and ornamental plant forms erect bushes reaching a height of about 3 m. Under natural conditions, it grows in the Baikal forests.

The green, oval-shaped leaves with a pointed end have a glossy upper part. The lower part of the leaves is painted in a lighter shade. In autumn their color changes to brown-violet.

Pinkish flowers bloom in small inflorescences (from 5 to 12 pieces) of the corymb type. Flowering occurs in June, and the beautiful black fruits with shiny skin ripen from mid-August to the end of September.

This species is liked for its high winter hardiness, unpretentiousness to soils, shade tolerance and tolerance of urban conditions.

Cotoneaster horizontalis

Horizontal cotoneaster is one of the most decorative species of this crop. This species is native to central and western China. A widely spreading bush about half a meter high is formed by fan-like shoots that are located in the same plane.

The shoots with yellowish-brown bark are covered with broadly oval or round leaves with pointed ends, 5 to 12 cm long. The upper part of the leaf has a glossy surface. With the onset of autumn, the dark green color of the leaves turns into orange and red tones.

Small pinkish flowers are located on the shoots one or two at a time. Flowering lasts from mid-May to the very end of June. The red fruits, about 0.6 cm in diameter, ripen at the end of September.

Dammer's cotoneaster (Cotoneaster dammerii)

This is a creeping evergreen species of cotoneaster, undemanding to soil, long-lived, and drought-resistant. In nature, it lives in the central regions of China, grows over long stretches of hills and slopes, and entwines rock formations. Plant height 30-40 cm, low crown.

The plants have medium-sized leaves (2-2.5 cm in length), ovoid, with or without a vein. The leaves are bright green in summer and turn reddish-purple in autumn. In May-June, Dummer's cotoneaster blooms; the flowers are small (less than 1 cm in diameter), white or pink, fragrant. After flowering, bright red round fruits are formed that last until spring, giving the plantings an elegant look.

This species is not frost-resistant. In winter, young shoots often freeze slightly, so flowering does not occur every year.

Blistered cotoneaster (Cotoneaster bullatus Bois)

Bladderwort cotoneaster is a fairly tall deciduous shrub with a voluminous, loose crown. It grows in height up to 3-4 m, and up to 4-5 m in diameter.

The leaves are dark green, pubescent below, wrinkled on the outside, on short petioles, oblong in shape, pointed at the ends. Numerous flowers are white or pinkish, small, collected in inflorescences. The berries are round, bright red, ripen in late August - September.

In autumn, the leaves acquire a spectacular coloring from yellow to red-orange. The species is valued for its unpretentiousness, winter hardiness, and decorativeness.

Cotoneaster divaricatus Rehd.& Wils

It is a deciduous shrub with a spreading tent-shaped form, tall and up to 3 m wide. Flowers appear in June, collected together in groups of 3, pinkish. The leaves are oval, from 1 to 2.5 cm in length, green in summer and red in autumn. The fruits are elongated, dark red.

It holds its shape well after pruning and is used in hedges, but is also beautiful in single plantings.

Tiny cotoneaster (Cotoneaster perpusillus)

It is a low, up to 30 cm, horizontally growing shrub. A special feature of this species is the branching on rigid shoots in the shape of a fish tail. The species is deciduous.

The leaves are shiny, smooth, small, like those of other cotoneaster species, and turn bright orange and red in autumn.

The flowers are numerous, pink, single or collected in several pieces, in some species fragrant. The berries are scarlet and do not fall from the bushes for a long time.

It grows actively, so it needs to be planted away from other plants.

Cotoneaster salicifolius

A tall evergreen shrub with spreading thin, drooping or curved branches. The leaves are oval or oblong, 4-8 cm long, wrinkled, pubescent below, pointed.

It blooms in May June, the flowers are white-beige, collected in thyroid inflorescences.

Does not need shelter for the winter.

Advantages and disadvantages of the type

When growing brilliant cotoneaster, it is important to consider not only the advantages of growing this plant, but also take into account the existing disadvantages. The advantages of having brilliant cotoneaster on your site include the following:

• low maintenance and neat appearance;
• good resistance to both frost and dry periods;
• almost complete immunity to diseases;
• unpretentiousness in growing conditions (feels great in places of heavy air pollution with soot, dust, exhaust gases);
• undemanding to the composition of the soil and the level of illumination of the site.

All this allows you to plant brilliant cotoneaster seedlings in parks and even on city streets. At the same time, we must not forget about the disadvantages of choosing this particular plant for growing. These include:

• the need for regular pruning of cotoneaster;
• comparative difficulty of reproduction.

Of course, there are noticeably more advantages, so perhaps it’s worth thinking about buying seedlings.

How quickly does a cotoneaster hedge grow?

Building a regular fence is much faster than building a hedge. This process can be slightly accelerated by planting young, but already well-formed bushes. But they will cost much more than seedlings.

After planting, the cotoneaster bushes are left untouched for two years. Only after they have grown a little do they begin to form a hedge. The first stage is trimming to height. This will provoke rapid growth of side shoots.

Once the width of the hedge is sufficient, the growth of the sides is limited. To begin with, the shoots should be pinched to increase tillering. However, shoots that extend beyond the intended contour are cut off.

Important! Cotoneaster will give the brightest shade of autumn foliage on sandy soil. Clay soil does not contain the elements necessary for this.

Features of planting brilliant cotoneaster in the garden

All species of cotoneaster existing today can easily tolerate planting and take root in a new place almost painlessly. But to propagate brilliant cotoneaster by planting seedlings in open ground, it is better to wait until spring (early spring is also suitable, as soon as the snow melts and night frosts lose their former strength) or perform the procedure at the end of autumn.

How to choose a place for planting cotoneaster, the species' requirements for lighting

Cotoneaster bushes are best placed in well-lit areas, although they also grow well in partial shade. In any case, the prepared place should be well protected from the wind, and also have deep groundwater. The cotoneaster planting scheme involves placing seedlings at a distance of 1.5-2 meters from each other (more exact figures depend on the future crown diameter). Plant seedlings are buried 70 cm into the soil.

Demanding requirements of cotoneaster to the soil

The composition of the soil for brilliant cotoneaster does not play a significant role, but at the same time, for its proper and rapid development, it is necessary to prepare the following soil mixture: mix 2 parts of turf soil with 1 part of peat or compost and 2 parts of coarse sand. It will also be useful to add lime to the resulting substrate at the rate of 300 g per 1 m² of area.

Is it worth planting in your garden?

Landowners strive to plant plants in their gardens and flower beds that are the most interesting or useful. Cotoneaster growing near roads would hardly surprise gardeners if it were not for its easy pruning and spectacular appearance when forming a hedge. Gardeners are always looking for plants that are best suited to given climatic conditions and have the most decorative appearance at any time of the year. It is these properties that attract garden stylists.

1. Cotoneaster is most suitable, especially where green hedges and stone gardens are formed. Moreover, this plant is easy to care for. And it easily tolerates any weather conditions without experiencing discomfort and without requiring constant transplants.
2. It is unlikely that any exotic plant will be able to suit our conditions so perfectly and decorate the garden as cotoneaster. It can also serve another function: if planted on a steep slope, the bush will help prevent the soil from sliding down.
3. The magnificent, bright greenery of the bushes will help hide from prying eyes what the owner wants if he uses cotoneaster in a green fence.
4. It must also be said that many types of cotoneasters are excellent honey plants. And this will not be superfluous in a summer cottage or in a vegetable garden. After all, honey plants help attract insects to your garden.
5. The fruits of the plant are not eaten, but it is medicinal. It is used in folk medicine for acute gastritis, diarrhea, in case of fever and neurasthenia. The plant is also useful in treating epilepsy, some types of eczema, and jaundice. It is also used as an antiseptic.

These and some other advantages of the plant speak in favor of planting it on the site.

How to plant brilliant cotoneaster in the garden: technology and planting scheme

First of all, it should be noted that the propagation of brilliant cotoneaster cannot be called an easy process. It is mainly carried out using seeds, grafting, cuttings and layering (vegetative propagation) are also often used

Seed method

If you have chosen the seed method of propagating cotoneaster, then be prepared for the fact that only half of the seedlings will sprout immediately and some more of them may sprout next year. To increase the germination of seeds, it is better to stratify them throughout the year before planting. To do this, after collecting in October, the seed material is placed in a metal container and sent for storage in the refrigerator or in the open air. Planting is carried out next year in the fall.

Hedge care: sequence of actions

Correct placement of cotoneaster in the form of a hedge, planting and care is the work of an experienced gardener, a master of his craft. A well-thought-out planting plan will bring the desired result. Let's consider step by step what aspects include caring for ornamental shrubs.

Top dressing

After the first years of life, when the roots of the plant draw nutrients from the soil, additional elements are necessary for growth. In the spring, fertilizers with nitrogen are added, which help growth processes and increase green mass.

Top dressing adds bright colors and decorativeness to the bushes Source yandex.net

Rules for caring for shiny cotoneaster

Caring for the brilliant cotoneaster will not cause you much trouble, however, to grow a beautiful and strong plant that can become a real decoration of the garden, it is still worth considering several basic requirements.

Requirement for watering

Any variety of cotoneaster is highly drought-resistant, so even in very dry summers the shrub can easily do without watering. It is enough to water adult plants of brilliant cotoneaster several times a season, adding 8 liters of water under each bush. The main thing in this matter is to prevent waterlogging, because an excessive amount of moisture in the soil can destroy the cotoneaster.

On hot days, especially if the plant grows in dusty places, it can be periodically refreshed by washing away dust from the foliage of the bush with a stream of water. This is especially true when the hedge serves as a fence and is located on the border of the site.

How to fertilize a plant

How quickly the brilliant cotoneaster will grow largely depends on the regularity of fertilization. So, if you want to get a beautiful and abundant crown, having achieved good growth during the season, then you need to feed the bush with nitrogen-containing fertilizers, and before flowering (approximately in mid-May), fertilizers containing phosphorus and potassium should be applied to the bush (for example, superphosphate). You should not ignore organic matter (humus or manure). Slurry is diluted in water in a ratio of 1:6, and when using bird droppings, 1 part of fertilizer should be 10 parts of water. The resulting composition is used to pour the soil during spring digging around the bush. In the same way, you can fertilize the soil using dry complex compounds.

Basics of pruning cotoneaster

To create fences and decorative figures from cotoneaster, shape pruning is mainly used, after which the shrubs quickly grow, but retain their original shape. When using this method, all shoots are cut by one third.

Regular hedges are particularly elegant and attractive. However, to get a neat and even living fence by trimming it to any geometric shape, you need to have special trellis shears and a taut rope, although the most acceptable option is a ready-made template made from a wooden frame. You can create such a framework or frame yourself: a trapezoidal shape is made from the bars, the upper part of which will be 10-15 cm narrower than the lower one. In any case, the shape for the hedge must correspond to its purpose and height, taking into account the small margin left for the growth of shoots.

Before pruning, a rope is pulled between two frames that are installed across the plantings, correcting the cutting surface. If you have to do a large amount of pruning work, then it is better to use a special garden tool - a hedge trimmer.

For young plantings, the height of annual pruning should increase by 5-7 cm until the required size of the green hedge is achieved. There is no need to be too zealous in removing or shortening the lower tier of branches and it is advisable to leave them 10-15 cm wider than the upper layer, which grows more actively, thereby causing partial darkening of the lower shoots.

Fence location options

Bright cotoneaster loves the sun, but will grow well in a shady place. If rapid growth of the bush is required, you should choose well-lit places. There the plant will quickly take on a good shape.

In a hedge of bright cotoneaster you can place:

1. along the external boundaries of the site;

2. on rails;
3. cover appendages from eyes;

4. fence off a resting place;

5. complete a layered composition of flowers and climbing plants;

6. serve as a bright green fence for a flower bed

There are no thorns on the branches of the brilliant cotoneaster. This slightly worsens its protective functions, but reduces the risk of injury when caring for the bush. The danger can arise only during the flowering period, when the hedges will be visited en masse by bees flying from all over the area.

Cotoneaster: planting and growing, types and varieties

Author: Elena N. Category: Garden plants Published: February 02, 2022 Last edits: January 20, 2021
Cotoneaster (lat. Cotoneaster) is a genus of evergreen or deciduous slowly growing shrubs, as well as small trees of the Rosaceae family. The name of the shrub was compiled by the Swiss botanist Caspar Baugin from two Greek words: cotonea, which means “quince,” and aster, “having a similar appearance.” This is explained by the fact that the leaves of one of the cotoneaster species have a strong resemblance to quince leaves. The genus Cotoneaster is represented by more than a hundred species, varieties and varieties growing naturally in North Africa and Eurasia. Those who are not well-informed often believe that dogwood and cotoneaster are the same plant, and they are in vain expecting delicious berries from cotoneaster. In fact, apart from the consonance in the name, there is nothing in common between these plants - they are generally from different families. Cotoneaster berries look like a tiny apple and are completely inedible, unlike the juicy dogwood fruits. The value of cotoneaster is in its decorative qualities, which allow the plant to be used as an effective element of the garden throughout its long life.

Cotoneaster after flowering

Preparing for winter

Almost all cotoneasters are cold-resistant and overwinter well without shelter; you just need to mulch the soil around the bush with peat, but if you are afraid that your cotoneaster will freeze, bend it to the ground, secure it in this position and cover it with dry leaves.

Wintering cotoneaster

If the winter is too frosty and snowless, you can additionally cover the plant with spruce branches or covering material, but if it starts to snow, remove the cover and let your shrub overwinter under a layer of snow. Black-fruited, whole-edged and shiny cotoneasters, which are most often grown in our climate, have high winter hardiness and can withstand even significant frosts without shelter.

Characteristics of the variety

It is an upright deciduous shrub reaching two meters in height. The foliage is very dense, and the young shoots are covered with pubescence.

The elliptical leaves have a pointed end and are up to five centimeters long. Their dark green color in the summer turns into purple tones by autumn.

Pink inflorescences contain up to eight flowers. Flowering begins in May and continues throughout the month.

The glossy fruits, spherical in shape and black in color, which decorate the shrub before the onset of frost, add great decorative value to the brilliant cotoneaster.

Fruiting begins four years after planting.

Bushes can grow in one place for over fifty years.

Cotoneaster: propagation by seeds

Cotoneaster is a flowering and fruit-forming shrub. Its berries produce seeds that can germinate. However, their germination rate is very low. This is why there are so few seedlings around the cotoneaster bushes.

If you wish, you can try sowing seeds. But before that, it is necessary to stratify them: leave them for germination. This is a long process, taking a whole year. During this time, the seeds produce sprouts that should turn into real plants.

How to prepare cotoneaster seeds for sowing?

This technique is lengthy, requires maximum effort and does not always produce the expected result. To a greater extent, it is suitable for breeding and scientific work, for improving existing varieties and obtaining new varieties.

Technology for growing cotoneaster seedlings

Growing high-quality cotoneaster seedlings takes a little more than two years. article with its technology for growing cotoneaster seedlings. Conventionally, the entire process can be divided into main stages.

Collection of cotoneaster fruits

I start collecting fruits from

Click to enlarge.

Threshing seeds

I thresh the seeds in September.

Tools

Stratification (preparation) of seeds

I start stratification after threshing is completed.

Seeds disinfected with a solution of copper sulfate are mixed with river sand 1:3 at a temperature of +15° C˚ with moisture

This stage of seed preparation lasts exactly one year until the year of sowing.

Pre-sowing seed preparation

In the year of sowing, I carry out pre-sowing preparation of seeds (collected last year) after completion of the stratification stage

I sift the seed mixture and free it. I treat the seeds with microelements using a semi-dry method.

For seeds I use:

After dressing, I dust the wet seeds with wood ash (about

Soil preparation

At the end of October I cultivate the soil clods until

Marking of ridges:

I cut the rows with a marker (between the centers of the grooves with a beam of width

I sow cotoneaster seeds in a 1.3 m long furrow (across the bed) (I use 2 measuring cups with a volume of about the seeds for

I cover the seeds with a 1:1 soil mixture.

I cover the crops with non-woven material “Agril”.

In early March, I raise the covering material above the bed to protect

As the seedlings appear, I carry out standard agricultural practices: breaking through, weeding, watering, loosening the soil, applying fertilizers, fighting (mole cricket, May beetle, weevils, aphids, slugs, molding seedlings using regular haircuts

Harvest

A year after sowing, I dig cotoneaster seedlings with Sorting, counting, accompanied by shortening the roots. Length of the above-ground part of the seedling.

Tools used:

All these agricultural practices make it possible to obtain brilliant cotoneaster seedlings of the highest quality. Check out the availability of seedlings for pre-order. Acceptance of applications begins

Source

Care

Since cotoneaster is a drought-tolerant plant, watering is usually only required during severe drought. But to maintain the decorative and healthy appearance of plants, you can water them monthly, pouring ten liters of water under one bush.

Cotoneaster requires regular weed removal and loosening (up to fifteen centimeters). After this, mulching is carried out using peat (up to eight centimeters).

Top dressing

Organic fertilizers (for example, humus) are applied in the spring while digging up the soil around the bushes. At the same time, you can apply dry complex fertilizers.

In the summer, brilliant cotoneaster is fed with potassium sulfate and superphosphate.

Trimming

For cotoneasters, shaped pruning is used, after which they quickly grow, while maintaining the shape that they were given. The shoots are cut by one third.

For cotoneaster, shaped pruning is used; it can be given any desired shape.

Crown formation begins after the plant reaches a height of sixty centimeters, usually after two years of growth.

The cotoneaster can be given any desired shape (ball, cone, etc.). Initially, you need to pinch the top, which will lead to the active growth of new shoots. After obtaining a sufficiently dense crown, you can begin pruning.

Winter care

Although cotoneaster is a frost-resistant plant, it should be covered in severe winter conditions. A layer of dry leaves or peat (up to six centimeters) is suitable for this.

The branches of tall bushes should be bent to the soil, this will help preserve the buds during frosts. In winter, you can additionally cover the bushes with snow.

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