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Stewardess – a genus of shrubs common in Europe, Asia and North Africa. There are more than 100 species of deciduous and evergreen plants. Planting and caring for cotoneaster is not difficult, as you will see for yourself by reading our article.
Description of cotoneaster
The genus Cotoneaster from the Pink family is most often represented by shrubs, but sometimes there are stunted trees. All of them are slow growing.
Typical member of the genus – shrub with dense branched shoots. They lend themselves well to pruning and shaping hedges. The leaves are dense, simple in shape, rounded at the ends.
In summer they are bright green or dark green, by autumn they become red or burgundy. The fruits are inedible, hard, red or black in color. They are shaped like small apples.
All members of the genus grow slowly and live long. In one place, the shrub can grow for 50–60 years, reaching a height of no more than 150–200 cm.
Video «cotoneaster care»
From this video you will learn about the features of planting, growing and propagating this plant.
Popular gardening species and varieties
In horticulture, the following varieties of this plant are most popular.
chokeberry
This is the most frost-resistant representative. Its berries are edible and have a sour taste. It is valued in beekeeping due to its melliferous qualities.
The height of an adult bush can exceed 180–200 cm. The leaves are large, oblong, dark green. Young shoots light green, old – woody, reddish. Found in the Caucasus.
pressed
Low creeping shrub with small leaves. Height does not exceed 30–40 cm. Shoots are long, can cover an area of 1–1,5 square. m.
In spring, it decorates a flower bed with small pink flowers, in autumn – bright red leaves and berries. Heat-loving, requires balanced watering and shelter for the winter.
Horizontal
An evergreen representative of the species. Height – from 80 to 100 cm. Shoots grow in width by 1,5–2 m from the root.
The leaves are oblong, rounded, shiny. In summer they are green, in autumn they become bright red. The flowers are small, the fruits are red-orange, remain on the branches during the winter.
Ordinary
Ordinary, or whole-edge cotoneaster is not very common in gardening. In nature, it is found in the highlands in the south of Our Country and in the Baltic states.
Plant height is 2–2,5 m. The crown is round, branched. Frost-resistant, does not require frequent watering. The leaves are small, ovate. The flowers are white, the fruits are bright red.
Brilliant
The most common type in landscape design. The height of the plant reaches 2 m, the leaves are oblong, pointed, shiny. The flowers are small, collected in loose inflorescences. Berries are small, black, collected by 8–10 piece.
It lends itself well to molding, it is used to create hedges and plant sculptures.
Dummer
Outwardly resembles a horizontal view, includes several varieties. Ground cover, reaches a height of 30–40 see.
The leaves are small, dense, reddening in autumn. The flowers are small, scarlet, bloom in spring. The fruits ripen in early autumn and acquire a bright red hue.
Bubbly
It is not very common in domestic gardening, as it grows in China. Prefers wet woodlands and mountain river banks. Reaches 3–4 m high.
The leaves are elongated, oval, pointed at the end. The berries are small, green when they appear and red when ripe. Ripe fruits look favorably against the background of dark green wrinkled leaves, so in the East they are used in the preparation of bouquets and flower arrangements.
splayed
Grows up to 180–200 cm, has the shape of a dome. The leaves are dark green, turning yellow-orange in autumn. Shoots branched, sprawling. Blossoms in June, bears fruit in early autumn.
Grows faster than other members of the genus. Lifespan is 25–30 years. Loves lighted areas, easily tolerates drought, resistant to frost. Good for molding.
loose-leaved
Ground cover bush, the height of which does not exceed 50 cm. It grows rapidly, covers an area of 2–3 sq. m. It is considered evergreen, since leaf fall occurs in the spring, during the formation of new leaves.
Common in horticulture and landscaping, lends itself well to pruning. Unpretentious, prefers sunny or semi-shaded places.
Planting and reproduction
After determining the type, it is necessary to choose a landing site and apply fertilizer. A bush planted in nutrient soil takes root faster.
Site selection and soil preparation
Cotoneaster seedlings are planted in the soil in spring. This must be done at the moment when the earth has warmed up and thawed, but the leaves have not yet appeared on the trees. Depending on the region, this happens in April or early May.
Plants tolerate shade and partial shade, but if possible, it is better to plant them in the sun. They are undemanding to the composition of the soil. Grow best in black soil, sandy and acidic soils. When fertilizing during planting, they will feel good in poor soil.
A layer of crushed stone, gravel or broken brick, 10 meters high, must be placed in the landing pit.–15 cm. Drainage is covered with a substrate of humus, sand, peat and compost in a ratio of 1:1:1:2.
Experienced gardeners advise adding lime and wood ash to the mixture.
Algorithm for planting seedlings and cuttings
After the chosen place in the ground, a hole 50x50x50 cm in size is dug out. If it is planned to form a hedge from a shrub, then it is better to plant it in a trench. There should be 100 around each bush–150 cm of free space.
Drainage is placed in the planting hole and covered with a nutrient mixture. After that, the seedling is placed in the hole so that the root neck is located at ground level. The cotoneaster is covered with earth, tamped down and watered abundantly. To prevent drying out, the shrub can be mulched with last year’s foliage or pruned shoots of horticultural crops.
In June, cuttings can be planted in open ground. To do this, cut shoots are placed in a solution of water and a growth stimulator, then planted in a sand-peat mixture in beds and flower beds. They are covered with cut bottles and watered regularly. Until next spring, they will take root and get stronger, and they can be transplanted to a permanent place of growth.
Other methods of reproduction
Less common landing methods – propagation by seeds, layering and dividing the bush.
To propagate a bush with seeds, it is necessary to collect its fruits and let them lie in the sun for several days. They will wither, and the seeds will be easier to separate from the pulp. They are washed with water and sorted. Material floating on the surface of the water is not suitable for landing. Seeds suitable for propagation are placed in a moist mixture of peat and sand and stored during the winter at a temperature not exceeding 0 ° C. This will allow them to harden. With the onset of heat, seeds can be sown in open ground. However, the germination of planting material is only 20–25%.
Ground cover and creeping species are conveniently propagated by layering. To do this, choose a powerful healthy shoot, bend it to the ground and fix it with staples or slingshots. The place of fixing is covered with earth mixed with compost and humus. The shoot will take root during the season and can be planted next spring.
The division method is suitable for adult powerful bushes that have grown too much. To do this, the plant is partially dug up and the extreme shoots along with the roots are separated with a sharp shovel. They are immediately moved to another flower bed or garden bed and watered abundantly. The procedure can be carried out both in autumn and in spring.
Growing and caring for cotoneaster
Caring for the plant does not cause any particular difficulties.
Watering regime and feeding rules
Stewardess – drought tolerant plant. It tolerates a lack of water more easily than waterlogging. Therefore, in dry summers and hot weather, it should be watered no more than once every 15–20 days. An adult plant requires 5–7 buckets of water, young shrubs will have enough and 2–4.
Shrub responds much better to washing and spraying. This procedure must be carried out every 4–5 days, always after sunset.
It is better to moisten small bushes with a spray bottle, for large plants you will have to use a watering can or a hose.
Author’s advice
Getting rid of dust from leaves will improve the appearance and well-being of the shrub.
Top dressing is applied in the spring, before flowering. Nitrogen fertilizers have the best effect on shrubs. It can be urea or growth stimulants containing nitrogen. In autumn, after fruit ripening, peat mulch is placed under the roots.
Pruning and shaping the bush
Cotoneaster responds well to pruning, so designers form figures of varying complexity from bushes. Sanitary pruning must be carried out in the summer cottage. During the procedure, old, diseased and deformed shoots are removed.
For shaping and rejuvenation, it is recommended to prune overgrown branches and those shoots that spoil the shape. The procedure can be carried out only in early spring.
Preparation for winter
All varieties of shrubs are cold-resistant and can easily endure frosts up to –25°C. In regions with a particularly frosty climate, young bushes can be slightly inclined to the ground and covered with leaves. In a snowless winter, they can be covered with dry branches and spruce branches, but after the start of snowfall, the shelter must be removed so that the branches do not break under the weight of snow.
Disease and Pest Prevention
Cotoneaster has a high resistance to infectious diseases, but sometimes it can be affected by pests. – aphids, scale insects, plant mites. When pests appear on the leaves, a plaque appears, they curl up and turn yellow. Shrubs can be treated with a vegetable solution of wormwood, tobacco and yarrow. For large scale infestation, pesticides and insecticides are used.
The use of cotoneaster in landscape design
Most often in landscape design you can find cotoneaster in the form of a hedge. It is planted in trenches along paths or at the border of a summer cottage and regularly cut to give it the correct shape. Also, natural fencing can protect other horticultural crops from the sun and wind.
Plants serve as decoration for rockeries – stone gardens and flower beds. Neat bright green shrubs look favorably against the background of gray-brown stones.
Solitary plantings are also practiced on lawns and flower beds with undersized plants. Tapeworm is a solitary shrub that has a beautiful shape and an attractive decorative appearance. It brings variety to monotonous plantings and emphasizes the center of the landscape composition.
Cotoneaster is resistant to drought and frost, undemanding to soil and light. In summer, it decorates summer cottages and city flower beds with dark green leaves and bright berries. In autumn, the bushes are painted in red and burgundy shades. In winter, evergreen varieties delight the eye.