Plant of the week: Cotoneaster

This garden stalwart is pleasing to the eye and great for wildlife

Although perhaps considered a little bit overused, cotoneaster remains an indispensable garden plant, particularly at this time of year when they produce their characteristic red fruits, either studding the stems or hanging in copious clusters among the leaves.

Their impact is long lasting, whether the species are evergreen or deciduous. There are few woody plants with such a range of shape and form from the stature of small trees, especially if the lower branches are removed, to low creeping mats or tight globes suitable for use in gravel or rock gardens, such as ‘Little Gem’. Some species, such as C. salicifolius, gently weep like a willow, others mould themselves against the surfaces along which they grow. Some have stiff branching forms that provide architectural interest. Shoots of particular varieties such as C. suecicus ‘Juliette’ are grafted on stout cotoneaster stems to produce tree-like, weeping or topiary forms.

Cotoneaster is a member of the rose family, although it‘s difficult to appreciate this with smallflowered species. The white or pink and white flowers which appear in early summer produce copious amounts of nectar and are a magnet for pollinators, which soon transfer pollen from plant to plant. They’re useful food plants for various types of moth and the berries are also winter fare for many birds, such as blackbirds, thrushes and waxwings.

Cotoneaster is an easy plant growing in sun or semi-shade in any moist, well-drained soil as long as it doesn’t become constantly wet, especially in winter. It can also be cut back quite severely in spring if it outgrows its space and can easily be trained and shaped so it can meld into any garden style.