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Aronia cotoneaster is a close relative of the classic red cotoneaster, which is also used for decorative purposes. These two plants are successfully used in different areas of landscape design and adorn many areas with unusual figures. Cotoneaster chokeberry in the photo, as well as on the site, looks elegant.
Description of cotoneaster chokeberry
This variety of cotoneaster is distributed over a vast territory from the Caucasus to the Himalayas. This is a shrub that reaches a height of 2 meters. Crown spreading 1,5 meters.
Leaves with clear veins. Leaf shape is ovoid. Dimensions are about 4 cm. The sheet has a smooth front surface of dark green color and a lighter reverse side with a rough surface. In autumn, the leaves change their color scheme to bright purple, which gives the shrub a particularly elegant look.
Black cotoneaster blooms at the end of May. The flowers are small, white-pink, collected in inflorescences. After 3-4 weeks of flowering, fruit ovaries form on the shrub.
Berries on a shrub begin to form only in the fifth year after planting. In the immature state, the fruits of this variety of cotoneaster are brown in color. But gradually they ripen and turn into blue-black rounded berries. They often remain to winter right on the bush. This gives the plant a certain elegance in winter.
Cotoneaster chokeberry is a completely edible berry. But due to the lack of a pronounced taste, it is rarely eaten. Nevertheless, this berry contains a large amount of vitamins and nutrients. The life expectancy of a shrub is up to 50 years. Therefore, it is beneficial to use it as a decorative ornament. For all its unpretentiousness, the cotoneaster does not require special care, and it will decorate the site for a long time.
Drought and frost resistance
First of all, it is worth noting that chokeberry dogwood is very resistant to temperature extremes. That is why gardeners and landscape designers love it. The shrub is able to withstand severe frosts, and there is no need to cover it for the winter.
Disease and pest resistance
Cotoneaster with black berries is highly resistant to both various diseases and many pests. Fusarium is the most common disease. This is a fungal disease that occurs due to high humidity.
The most common pests are aphids, spider mites and scale insects. With proper and timely preventive treatment, it is not necessary to use additional means of control. Sometimes, for the treatment of a healthy shrub, as a preventive measure, a solution of ash or laundry soap is sufficient.
Features of landing
One-year or two-year-old seedlings are suitable for planting. The optimal planting time is spring, even before the start of the growing season, or autumn, immediately after leaf fall. In this case, the cotoneaster will take root well and quickly grow.
The shrub does not impose special conditions on the landing site, but experts recommend planting cotoneaster on the sunny side of the site.
They plant a shrub in a hole, if it is necessary to make a hedge, then a moat is used.
The pit should have a width of 70 cm, and about the same depth. So you can provide sufficient freedom to the roots of the shrub and its crown. When creating a hedge, plants can be planted a little closer to each other.
A drainage layer of pebbles and broken red brick is laid out at the bottom of the pit. Then you should prepare a nutrient soil. To do this, take 2 parts of soddy land and mix with 2 parts of sand and one part of compost. Compost can be replaced with peat.
The seedling is placed in a hole in an upright position and sprinkled with earth. The soil must be compacted periodically, up to the top layer. The root neck should be flush with the ground. After planting, the plant must be watered abundantly.
For those who decorate the site with several types of plants, it will be nice to know that the cotoneaster gets along well with all its neighbors, but the best option is small coniferous plantations nearby. Cotoneaster in this combination looks elegant.
Cotoneaster aftercare
Caring for cotoneaster is not difficult. The plant needs to be watered, trimmed and fed. And also provide him with prevention in the fight against pests and possible diseases.
Cotoneaster categorically does not like a lot of moisture. If the summer is rainy, then the plant can not be watered at all. In a dry summer, it is enough to water the cotoneaster once every 14 days at the rate of 1 bucket of water under one bush. If watering is carried out once a month, then it can be made more abundant and up to three buckets of water can be brought under the shrub. To wash off the dust, washing the leaves with a hose is suitable.
At least once a season, it is better to feed the shrub so that it continues to grow stronger. The first feeding is carried out in the spring. It is necessary to take 25 g of urea in a bucket of water and add the solution to the area near the root. Before flowering, the optimal fertilizer is with a potassium content (15 g per square meter). In autumn, mulching with peat takes place.
Shrub pruning can be sanitary and formative. Sanitary pruning is carried out to remove diseased and damaged shoots. Formative pruning is carried out annually to form a bush and remove too long shoots. Ideally, pruning is done before the start of the growing season. So the shrub tolerates it better.
It is not necessary to specially cover the shrub, but it is recommended to mulch the soil with peat. Mulch layer – 8-10 cm. If there is no snow in winter, then the bushes should be bent to the ground and covered with leaves.
Diseases and pests, methods of control and prevention
The main disease that affects cotoneaster bushes is fusarium. To combat it, it is necessary to carry out sanitary pruning after the first signs of the disease appear. All pruned branches must be destroyed. After pruning, the remaining plant must be treated with a fungicide to prevent spread. And also as a preventive measure, special means are used once a year. The main preventive measure is to avoid excessive waterlogging.
The most effective and popular means against pests: Karbofos, Aktelik, Fitoverm. Use in the dosage according to the instructions.
Conclusion
Cotoneaster chokeberry is not just an ornamental shrub with beautiful berries, but also a very useful plant. Its fruits are used in dried form, they are rubbed into pastries and consumed with tea. At the same time, the shrub is unpretentious in care and is a true long-liver. All these qualities make the plant indispensable for use in landscape design and just to decorate the site. Photos and descriptions of chokeberry cotoneaster do not allow confusion with similar plants and its relative, red cotoneaster.
