Herringbone cotoneaster
Wall cotoneaster
Wall cotoneaster
Never shear or clip this group like a hedge — it's grown for its distinctive flat, fishbone branch pattern and the berries that line it, both of which a shearing cut destroys; that's the key difference from the upright, hedgeable group of this genus.
Care
Tolerates a north-facing wall reasonably well.
Drought-tolerant once established.
Adaptable, well-drained soil of most types.
Minimal — just remove wayward or crossing shoots to keep the flat, herringbone branch pattern, whether grown against a wall or as ground cover. Avoid shearing or clipping this group, which destroys the natural branch structure and the berry display that grows along it.
No feeding needed — these grow on walls, banks and poor gravelly ground by nature and berry perfectly well unfed. Nitrogen would only push leafy growth at the expense of berries.
The prostrate kinds layer themselves wherever a stem rests on soil, so the simplest method is to sever a rooted section and move it. Semi-ripe cuttings in late summer are the alternative.
Month by month
Months change with the climate: in southern Italy tomatoes go out two months earlier than in England.
- MarchRemove any wayward or damaged shoots to keep the flat, fishbone branch pattern tidy. how ›
- MaySmall flowers appear along the branches, a good source of early nectar for bees.
- SeptemberEnjoy the autumn berries and leaf colour, valuable for birds.
Months based on climate: UK. Your choice stays on this device.
- MarchRemove any wayward or damaged shoots to keep the flat, fishbone branch pattern tidy. how ›
- MaySmall flowers appear along the branches, a good source of early nectar for bees.
- SeptemberEnjoy the autumn berries and leaf colour, valuable for birds.
Months based on climate: Northern Italy. Your choice stays on this device.
- FebruaryRemove any wayward or damaged shoots to keep the flat, fishbone branch pattern tidy. how ›
- AprilSmall flowers appear along the branches, a good source of early nectar for bees.
- SeptemberEnjoy the autumn berries and leaf colour, valuable for birds.
Months based on climate: Central Italy. Your choice stays on this device.
- FebruaryRemove any wayward or damaged shoots to keep the flat, fishbone branch pattern tidy. how ›
- AprilSmall flowers appear along the branches, a good source of early nectar for bees.
- OctoberEnjoy the autumn berries and leaf colour, valuable for birds.
Months based on climate: Southern Italy and islands. Your choice stays on this device.
Common problems
How to spot it. Blackened, scorched-looking shoots that fail to recover — a notifiable bacterial disease.
What to do. Cut out well below the affected area, disinfect tools, seek advice if extensive.
How to spot it. On soft new growth.
What to do. Encourage predators; tolerate low levels.
How to spot it. Small brown bumps on stems and leaf undersides.
What to do. Treat if noticed.
Upright shrub
Upright shrub
Unlike the prostrate, wall-trained group of this genus, this upright type can be clipped and hedged in the normal way — the split exists because shearing the prostrate group ruins its fishbone branch pattern, while this group takes a formal trim in its stride.
Care
Drought-tolerant once established.
Adaptable, well-drained soil of most types.
Tolerates trimming or hedging one to two times through the growing season if grown as a screen or informal hedge. Grown as a specimen shrub, it needs only minimal pruning — just remove crossing or damaged wood.
Undemanding to the point of needing nothing; a mulch in spring on very poor soil is the most it asks. Heavy feeding gives sappy growth that is more susceptible to fireblight.
Semi-ripe cuttings in late summer, or grow the berries on: birds distribute the seed so effectively that self-sown seedlings usually appear on their own, and they transplant well when small.
Month by month
Months change with the climate: in southern Italy tomatoes go out two months earlier than in England.
- AprilTrim if grown as a hedge or screen, to establish the desired shape. how ›
- JuneEnjoy the small white flowers, a good source of nectar for bees.
- OctoberEnjoy the autumn berries, valuable for birds, and any autumn leaf colour.
Months based on climate: UK. Your choice stays on this device.
- AprilTrim if grown as a hedge or screen, to establish the desired shape. how ›
- JuneEnjoy the small white flowers, a good source of nectar for bees.
- OctoberEnjoy the autumn berries, valuable for birds, and any autumn leaf colour.
Months based on climate: Northern Italy. Your choice stays on this device.
- MarchTrim if grown as a hedge or screen, to establish the desired shape. how ›
- MayEnjoy the small white flowers, a good source of nectar for bees.
- OctoberEnjoy the autumn berries, valuable for birds, and any autumn leaf colour.
Months based on climate: Central Italy. Your choice stays on this device.
- MarchTrim if grown as a hedge or screen, to establish the desired shape. how ›
- MayEnjoy the small white flowers, a good source of nectar for bees.
- NovemberEnjoy the autumn berries, valuable for birds, and any autumn leaf colour.
Months based on climate: Southern Italy and islands. Your choice stays on this device.
Common problems
How to spot it. Blackened, scorched-looking shoots that fail to recover — a notifiable bacterial disease.
What to do. Cut out well below the affected area, disinfect tools, seek advice if extensive.
How to spot it. On soft new growth.
What to do. Encourage predators; tolerate low levels.
How to spot it. Small brown bumps on stems and leaf undersides.
What to do. Treat if noticed.
Popular varieties
Questions
Herringbone cotoneaster: is it hardy?
Wall cotoneaster: H7: Fully hardy anywhere in the UK. It survives below −20 °C. Upright shrub: H6: Hardy in the vast majority of UK gardens. It survives down to −20 °C.
Can it grow in a pot?
Wall cotoneaster: Does well trailing over the edge of a large pot or trained against a low wall. Upright shrub: Tolerates a large pot for a few years while young; performs best long-term in open ground, especially if hedged.
Herringbone cotoneaster: when do you prune it?
Wall cotoneaster: Minimal — just remove wayward or crossing shoots to keep the flat, herringbone branch pattern, whether grown against a wall or as ground cover. In the calendar for UK, pruning falls in March. Upright shrub: Tolerates trimming or hedging one to two times through the growing season if grown as a screen or informal hedge. In the calendar for UK, pruning falls in April.
Herringbone cotoneaster: when does it flower?
Wall cotoneaster: In the climate of UK it flowers in May–June. Upright shrub: In the climate of UK it flowers in June.
When do you feed it?
Wall cotoneaster: No feeding needed — these grow on walls, banks and poor gravelly ground by nature and berry perfectly well unfed. Nitrogen would only push leafy growth at the expense of berries. Upright shrub: Undemanding to the point of needing nothing; a mulch in spring on very poor soil is the most it asks. Heavy feeding gives sappy growth that is more susceptible to fireblight.