Cranberry Cotoneaster Plant Information

Description

• The cranberry cotoneaster produces arching branches that form a thick, sprawling habit. It reaches a mature height of 1 1/2 to 3 feet with a spread of 3 to 6 feet. Young purplish stems change to a gray brown as they age. Round to oval, 1/2-inch-long, dark green leaves remain shiny throughout the growing season, change to purple and orange in the fall and drop off the cotoneaster in early winter. This woody shrub produces tiny pink flowers in spring when its leaves emerge. Bright red, 1/4-inch-diameter berries appear in the late summer and last throughout fall and winter.

Culture

• A low-maintenance plant by nature, the cranberry cotoneaster makes an attractive addition to water-wise and coastal gardens due to its tolerance for drought and salt spray. Although it prefers moderately moist, well-draining soils, the cranberry cotoneaster grows well in almost any soil type. Growing in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 7, this deciduous plant requires full to partial shade to thrive. A combination of heat and humidity, characteristic of the southeastern U.S., proves detrimental to the cotoneaster.

Uses

• With a rambling form and prickly texture, the cranberry cotoneaster works well in mixed shrub beds with smooth-textured, broad leaf shrubs or as a border or natural fence, keeping unwanted traffic away. When planted in groups, its spring flowers and summer berries create a striking show of color, and a single specimen planted as a focal point will draw the eye quickly. The cranberry cotoneaster minimizes erosion on slopes or hills with its spreading roots and limbs.

Problems

• Occasionally the bacterial disease, fire blight, infects the cotoneaster, causing oozing cankers and stem dieback. Pruning out diseased limbs may control the spread of this disease to healthy tissue. Spider mites attack the shrub's leaves during hot, dry weather and spin webbing from branch to branch. Spray these pests with neem oil mixed at a rate of 2 tablespoons per 1 gallon of water every seven to 14 days to eradicate them. The cranberry cotoneaster's branches will occasionally root if they lay on the ground, causing the shrub to spread, sometimes into unwanted areas. It may be considered invasive in some areas.