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Shrubs

Cotoneaster adpressus

creeping cotoneaster

A prostrate, deciduous shrub of dense habit, spreading to 2m. Small, rounded, wavy-edged leaves turn red in autumn. Flowers small, white, followed by bright red berries

Synonyms

Cotoneaster horizontalis var. adpressus

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Ultimate height

0.1–0.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

10–20 years

Ultimate spread

1.5–2.5 metres

Chalk

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

South–facing or West–facing or East–facing

Exposure

Exposed or Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Rosaceae
Native to the UK: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Matforming
Potentially harmful: Fruit are ornamental - not to be eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. Pets: Fruit are ornamental - not to be eaten - see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants for further information and useful contact numbers
Genus: Cotoneaster can be deciduous or evergreen shrubs or small trees, with simple, entire leaves and clusters of small white or pink flowers in spring and summer, followed by showy red, purple or black berries
Name status: Correct
Plant range: China (Sichuan, Yunnan)

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in any well-drained soil in full sun

Propagation

Propagate from seed (tree/shrub) or by softwood cuttings (greenwood cuttings) in early summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Banks and slopes
Cut flowers
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Pruning group 1

Pests

May be susceptible to scale insects, woolly aphid and cotoneaster webber caterpillar

Diseases

May be susceptible to fireblight and honey fungus

Get involved

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