origin
The genus of the cotoneaster (Cotoneaster) comprises about 90 species. The rose plants are common in the temperate climates of Asia. Their area extends across Europe to North Africa. The shrubs are mainly distributed in the Himalayan mountains and in southwestern China. Some species have adapted to extreme locations. You climb heights of up to 4,000 meters.
also read
- How can you multiply the cotoneaster?
- Cotoneaster - an easy-care and decorative ground cover
- A nice alternative: the coton bird as a bonsai
blossom
Few species of Cotoneaster develop flowers that stand alone or crowd into small bundles. The majority has racemose or umbrella-like inflorescences. A flower is made up of five and has both male and female flower organs. The calyx consists of five short leaves that remain until the fruit is ripe. It encloses the crown, which is composed of five leaves.
The flowers can be white, pink, cream, light purple or red in color. The flowering period begins in May or June and extends into autumn. Cotoneaster species are important sources of food for domestic insects. The sweet scent of flowers attracts numerous wild bees and butterflies.
fruit
After the flowers have wilted, small stone fruits emerge. They are reminiscent of apples in miniature format and are colored red, red-brown, orange or yellow. In some species the color turns black. The fruits are an important source of food for birds. They eat the small fruits especially in winter.
leaves
The dwarf medlars have alternate leaves with a short stalk. The tough leaves are simple and have a smooth leaf edge. The dense foliage is typical of all Cotoneaster species. The foliage shines dark green and is retained in many members of the genus even in winter. Tiny stipules sit at the base of the leaves.
growth
The species are deciduous or evergreen. There are representatives that grow tree-shaped and reach heights of up to 15 meters. The predominant part forms shrubs or dwarf shrubs that crawl over the ground with their prostrate shoots. In contrast to the related firethorn species, the branches of the dwarf medlars do not have thorns.
use
Medlars serve as a low hedge border for beds and perennials. They can be planted alone or as a rose accompaniment. The weakly growing species cut a fine figure in the rock garden. Higher growing varieties are suitable for the creation of hedges and topiary trees. They can be perfectly integrated as a group of shrubs in woody borders.
Ground cover
Cotoneaster species are very popular in green areas. Their short stature makes them perfect ground covers that don't require a lot of maintenance. They are just as common in public green spaces and traffic islands as they are on embankments. Here, the area-covering growth also ensures the slope is reinforced. The root system holds the substrate together and the plant body protects the soil from heavy rainfall. As a result, crawling medlars have an important function in protecting against soil erosion. As ground cover, cotoneaster species enjoy great popularity in grave planting.
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bonsai
Miniature medlars are perfect as a bonsai, because their design options are versatile. You can bring suitable plant material into a freely upright or inclined shape. Cascades and half-cascades can be easily designed with targeted cuts. You can plant rocks or let the roots grow over rocks. Double trunks or group plantings are also possible.
Cotoneaster species are not suitable as indoor bonsai. They need fresh air and a sunny to partially shaded location. You can purchase suitable material in hardware stores. Particularly old specimens can often be found at disposal stations in cemeteries.
Why the cotoneaster is suitable as a bonsai
- high budding force after radical prunings
- uncomplicated care
- suitable for beginners
- Cascade design is very possible
- very small leaves with attractive autumn colors
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Is Cotoneaster Poisonous?
All parts of the plant contain the glycoside amygdalin, which is similar to hydrogen cyanide. It is considered to be slightly poisonous and should not be consumed, although health complaints only arise after consuming larger amounts. Ten to 20 fruits can cause diarrhea to vomit.
House tigers have a habit of nibbling on green plants. The ingredients of the dwarf medlars develop their toxic effects on cats faster than on humans. Difficulty breathing, palpitations and vomiting may occur. Dogs have a more pronounced sense of taste than velvet paws. You usually avoid the fruit after an initial test. However, you should keep your dogs away from the plants as they are highly toxic.
Which location is suitable?
Medlars thrive in a sunny or partially shaded spot. The more sun the plants get, the greater the bloom. Their high adaptability makes them popular ornamental shrubs. They cope well with heat and dry spells.
What soil does the plant need?
The shrubs need a nutrient-rich soil that offers permeable properties. The lime-tolerant plants do not tolerate waterlogging. To loosen up the soil, you can mix in some gravel or sand. If these conditions are given, dwarf medlars grow on almost all domestic soils. You can use conventional garden or potting soil.
Propagate the cotoneaster
Carpet medlars reproduce independently from above-ground runners. You can separate these from the mother plant from autumn and move them to a new location. The young plants need about a year to grow.
It is possible to increase it by means of a sinker. To do this, the tip of a shoot is scratched crosswise and fixed on the ground with a stone so that the tip protrudes from the substrate. It can take up to two years for the sinker to develop roots. Only then can you separate the branch from the mother plant.
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sowing
Cotoneaster species are cold germs. Your seeds need a cold stimulus that stimulates them to germinate. Therefore, you should start sowing just before winter. Let the seeds swell for a few days in a seed container filled with substrate. Keep the substrate evenly moist. Put the pot outside in a sheltered place where it will stay until spring. The seeds germinate from March.
This method of propagation is recommended for wild forms. Sowing is not suitable for breeding true-to-variety offspring, as the young plants develop different combinations of characteristics than their parent plants.
Cuttings
Cut off the tips of the shoots about ten centimeters long from your cotoneaster and remove the bottom leaves. Fill a planter with potting soil and stick the twigs into the substrate. To prevent it from drying out, you can put a glass or a plastic cap over the vessel. The cuttings take root after a few weeks.
What is the best time to plant?
Planting takes place in winter. Choose a frost-free day between October and May so that you can loosen the soil better. Medlars are offered all year round as container plants that can be planted out at any time. Weed the substrate and improve the structure of heavy soils with sand or gravel.
The correct planting distance
Depending on the desired density, place the plants loosely or close together. So that the plants can develop optimally, the distance should not be less than 50 centimeters.
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Cotoneaster in a pot
Certain types of cotoneaster are suitable for planting in pots. There are refined tall trunks that decorate pots all year round with their drooping shoots. Creeping species can also be planted in pots. Choose slow-growing plants so that the space required by the roots remains manageable.
Wide pots with a drain hole are suitable as a planter. They ensure water drainage and offer the root ball sufficient opportunities to develop. You can use conventional potting soil as a substrate. The pot should be outside all year round. Protect the root ball from freezing in winter and make sure that the plant is not in direct sun during the cold season. There is a risk of drying out here.
Beautify dwarf medlars in the bucket:
- Sitting areas on terraces
- Balcony niches
- Steps in house entrances
- Foregrounds of walls
Cut the cotoneaster correctly
The shrubs, which are very easy to cut, can be cut back regularly. They drive reliably even after a radical cut in the old wood. This measure is recommended if you want to rejuvenate ground cover plants. Shrub-shaped dwarf medlars are only thinned out. If you grow too wide, you can trim the young shoots down to the side branches.
Evergreen species are cut in spring before the fresh shoots appear. Deciduous specimens should be cut back in late winter. Shape cuts are possible until June. Be careful not to cut off too many shoots. This allows the plant to bloom in summer. Dead branches can be removed all year round.
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Water the cotoneaster
On hot and dry days, the plants enjoy additional watering. If this is omitted, it does not harm the dwarf medlars immediately. You can apply a protective layer of mulch to improve the moisture balance in the soil. Container plants should be watered regularly. You need water even in winter when the days are frost-free.
Fertilize the cotoneaster correctly
During the growth phase, the plants enjoy a regular supply of nutrients with liquid fertilizer, which you apply with the irrigation water. As an alternative to the concentrate, you can use granules to provide the plants with additional nutrients. Fertilization is not a must for outdoor plants. Container plants should be taken care of so that they do not wither in the confined space.
How do I transplant properly?
In the case of outdoor plants, transplanting does not make sense as older specimens have developed a strong root system and are damaged when excavated. Since the propagation via cuttings works very reliably, transplanting has not proven itself.
Container plants should be repotted every two to three years so that the roots get fresh substrate and can expand further. If you cultivate your cotoneaster as a bonsai, you should give the plant a new pot regularly. Young plants are repotted every year, older specimens after two to three years. With this measure the roots are shortened.
Overwinter
Cotoneaster species are hardy and survive the frosty temperatures without any problems. Mulching has proven its worth so that the evergreen plants do not suffer from drought stress. The layer protects the soil from freezing and at the same time supplies the roots with moisture. If the plants grow in direct sunlight, you should protect the leaves from the winter sun with a plant fleece.
Diseases
Medlars are important host plants for the Erwinia amylovora bacterium, which causes the fire blight. It spreads from spring to summer and penetrates the organism through flowers and young shoots. As a result, the plant parts wither rapidly and die. They curve in and turn black. Since leaves and shoots appear burned, the disease has been named fire blight.
The bacterium multiplies like an epidemic on surrounding stone fruit. Since there are no effective control methods, you must completely remove infected plants and dispose of them properly or burn them. The disease is notifiable. As a preventive measure, you should choose robust varieties and ensure that there is sufficient distance from fruit trees when planting so that the bacteria cannot spread unhindered.
lice
They are among the most common pests that occur on Cotoneaster species. Lice suck the sap on the leaf veins, which weakens the plant.
Aphids and mealybugs
Medlars are often attacked by aphids and mealybugs. The pests are the main carriers of the fire blight bacteria and should therefore be fought as quickly as possible. In the case of pome fruit plants, shoot spraying has proven to be a preventive measure against the pests.
When the buds open and the first leaf tips appear, the plants are treated with a special spray. Promanal is often used here. The agent is non-toxic to beneficial insects and contains rapeseed oil, which is deposited in the crevices of the bark. It coats eggs and hibernating pests with a film of oil so that the pests soon die off.
Blood lice
These pests were introduced from America and occasionally attack dwarf medlars that are weakened by lack of nutrients or excess nitrogen. Blood lice have natural predators. Promote ladybugs and lacewings. The insects are also eaten by soft beetles, birds and spiders. If your plant is affected, you should regularly remove the lice with a sharp jet of water. Vegetable oil emulsions and ammonia or soda solutions help against severe infestation.
Tips
Individually planted medlars appear lost in open spaces. Plant eight specimens together in small groups. The shrubs quickly develop into a magnificent green island, which you can loosen up with other shrubs such as snow heather, moss roses, broom or crippled pines.
sorts
- Cotoneaster horizontalis: ground cover. Leaves glossy dark green, rounded. Bright red fruits contrast strongly with the foliage.
- Cotoneaster salicifolius: leaves dark green above, tomentose below. Flowers from June, flowers in umbel-shaped panicles, white and strongly scented. Grows up to five meters high.
- Oak : Ground-covering Cotoneaster dammeri with overhanging branches. Leaves blue-green, red when shoots. Creeping growth up to 50 centimeters high.
- Golden Spring : Carpet-forming Cotoneaster dammeri. Leaves are glossy dark green, young leaves are yellow-green with speckles. Grows to 20 centimeters high.
