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Summary
Duration
Growth Habit
U.S. Nativity	Cultivated, or not in the U.S.
Federal T/E Status
National Wetland Indicator
Morphology/Physiology
Active Growth Period	Spring and Summer
After Harvest Regrowth Rate
Bloat
C:N Ratio	High
Coppice Potential	Yes
Fall Conspicuous	Yes
Fire Resistant	No
Flower Color	White
Flower Conspicuous	Yes
Foliage Color	Green
Foliage Porosity Summer	Dense
Foliage Porosity Winter	Moderate
Foliage Texture	Coarse
Fruit/Seed Color	Red
Fruit/Seed Conspicuous	Yes
Growth Form	Multiple Stem
Growth Rate	Moderate
Height at 20 Years, Maximum (feet)	9
Height, Mature (feet)	9
Known Allelopath	No
Leaf Retention	No
Lifespan	Moderate
Low Growing Grass	No
Nitrogen Fixation
Resprout Ability	Yes
Shape and Orientation	Semi-Erect
Toxicity	None
Growth Requirements
Adapted to Coarse Textured Soils	No
Adapted to Fine Textured Soils	No
Adapted to Medium Textured Soils	Yes
Anaerobic Tolerance	None
CaCO3 Tolerance	Medium
Cold Stratification Required	Yes
Drought Tolerance	High
Fertility Requirement	Medium
Fire Tolerance	Medium
Frost Free Days, Minimum	130
Hedge Tolerance	Medium
Moisture Use	Medium
pH, Minimum	6.8
pH, Maximum	8.7
Planting Density per Acre, Minimum	1200
Planting Density per Acre, Maximum	4800
Precipitation, Minimum	14
Precipitation, Maximum	30
Root Depth, Minimum (inches)	16
Salinity Tolerance	Low
Shade Tolerance	Intolerant
Temperature, Minimum (°F)	-43
Reproduction
Bloom Period	Mid Spring
Commercial Availability	Routinely Available
Fruit/Seed Abundance	High
Fruit/Seed Period Begin	Summer
Fruit/Seed Period End	Fall
Fruit/Seed Persistence	No
Propagated by Bare Root	Yes
Propagated by Bulb	No
Propagated by Container	Yes
Propagated by Corm	No
Propagated by Cuttings	No
Propagated by Seed	Yes
Propagated by Sod	No
Propagated by Sprigs	No
Propagated by Tubers	No
Seed per Pound
Seed Spread Rate	Slow
Seedling Vigor	High
Small Grain	No
Vegetative Spread Rate	None
Suitability/Use
Berry/Nut/Seed Product	No
Christmas Tree Product	No
Fodder Product	No
Fuelwood Product	None
Lumber Product	No
Naval Store Product	No
Nursery Stock Product	Yes
Palatable Browse Animal	Low
Palatable Graze Animal	Low
Palatable Human	No
Post Product	No
Protein Potential	Low
Pulpwood Product	No
Veneer Product	No

 

Kingdom  Plantae -- Plants

Subkingdom  Tracheobionta -- Vascular plants

Superdivision  Spermatophyta -- Seed plants

Division  Magnoliophyta -- Flowering plants

Class  Magnoliopsida -- Dicotyledons

Subclass  Rosidae

Order  Rosales

Family  Rosaceae -- Rose family

Genus  Cotoneaster Medik. -- cotoneaster P

Species  Cotoneaster integerrimus Medik. -- cotoneaster P

 

Alternate Names

Cotoneaster cotoneaster, Cotoneaster vulgaris, European cotoneaster, great orme berry, Mespilus cotoneaster, Ostinia cotoneaster, quan yuan xun zi (Chinese), skalnik obecny (Czech), wild cotoneaster, zwergmispel (German).

 

Uses

Conservation: The USDA NRCS recommends cotoneaster for use in windbreak plantings on farmsteads and along transportation, transmission, and recreation corridors.

 

Wildlife: Many bird species consume cotoneaster fruit in autumn.  The plant also offers protection and habitat to small wildlife species.

 

Description

General: Rose Family (Rosaceae). Cotoneaster is a multi-branched shrub with a broad crown.  It is 2 m tall at maturity.  The branchlets are grayish brown, covered with dense hairs, becoming more glabrous at maturity.  Leaves are simple, alternate, broadly ovate to almost circular, 2 to 4 cm long and 1 to 3 cm wide.  They are gray-green above, gray pubescent below, and are untoothed.  Buds are brown to pale gray and less than 1 cm long.  Two to five flowers are borne on inflorescences that are 1.5 to 2.5 cm long.  The flowers are pinkish-white and approximately 8 mm in diameter.  The fruit is a dark red berry, 6 to 8 mm in diameter.  Cotoneaster blooms in May and June and sets fruit in August and September.

 

Distribution: Cotoneaster is native to Europe and temperate regions of Asia.  Its native status in China is debated and has been documented as unknown by some sources. 

 

Habitat: The natural habitats of cotoneaster are rocky slopes and forests at elevations below 2500 meters.

 

Adaptation

The recommended USDA hardiness zones for cotoneaster are 3 through 5.  Cotoneaster prefers soils that are moist and have a pH range of 5.0 to 7.5.  The “North Dakota Tree Handbook” states that cotoneaster is not adapted to alkaline soils (as well as saline soils), but other sources suggest that alkaline soils are preferred.  It is adapted to a variety of soil textures.  Growth is slow on very dry and poorly drained soils.  Cotoneaster does well in full and partial sun.

 

Pests and Potential Problems

Fireblight is a common problem among cotoneaster plants.  It is caused by the bacterium, Erwinia amylovora.  New plant growth is black and curved.  Smooth bark will crack while older growth will develop cankers.  The cankers may cause death.  The disease is prompted by heavy rainfall followed by warm, hazy weather.  Nitrogen fertilization, late season fertilization, poor soil drainage, and over-watering promote susceptibility to fire blight.

 

Pear slugs are common insect pests that chew cotoneaster leaves, giving plants a skeletonized appearance.  Damaged leaves fall prematurely.  Pear slug infestations leave cotoneaster unattractive, but do not affect plant health.

 

Management

To reduce the risk of fireblight infection, do not plant cotoneaster near ornamental or orchard apple trees.  Although there is no chemical treatment available, sanitary culture conditions can manage fireblight spread.  Prune diseased twigs and remove plants with large cankers.  Disinfect pruning tools.  Apply sprays that contain fixed copper during bloom-time to prevent infection.  Remove suckers from the base of the plant.

 

Pear slug infestation is controlled with insecticides labeled for caterpillars or leaf beetles, or by using a jet of water to remove the slugs.  Wood ashes kill pear slugs.

 

Cultivars, Improved, and Selected Materials (and area of origin)

The USDA NRCS Plant Materials Center released the cultivar ‘Centennial’ cotoneaster in 1987 for conservation use in the Great Plains.

 

Contact your local Natural Resources Conservation Service (formerly Soil Conservation Service) office for more information.  Look in the phone book under ”United States Government.”  The Natural Resources Conservation Service will be listed under the subheading “Department of Agriculture.”

 

References

Agricultural Research Center. 2004. GRIN taxonomy (https://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/index, 19 June 2004). USDA, Beltsville.

 

Cranshaw, W.S. and D.A. Leatherman. 1986. Pear slugs (https://www.colostate.edu/Depts/IPM/ento/ j560.html, 23 June 2004). Colorado State University Cooperative Extension, Fort Collins.

 

Devonian Botanic Garden. 2004. Woody perennials (https://www.discoveredmonton.com/devonian/seedwood.html, 19 June 2004). University of Alberta, Alberta, Canada.

 

Landscape Alberta Nursery Trades Association, Alberta Agriculture, Food, and Rural Development. 1997. ArborCare Library (https://www.arborcare.com/library/fireblight.html, 23 June 2004). Arbor CARE Tree Service Ltd., Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

 

Tree Information Center. 1996. North Dakota tree handbook (https://www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/ aginfo/trees/handbook/ndhand-1.htm, 19 June 2004). North Dakota State University, Fargo.

 

USDA NRCS. 2002. NC-7 woody ornamental evaluation trials: 1989 accessions (https://www.ars-grin.gov/ars/MidWest/Ames/Ornamental_Trials/index.html, 19 June 2004). North Central Regional Plant Introduction Station, Ames.

 

USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Herman, D.E. et al. 1996. North Dakota tree handbook. USDA NRCS ND State Soil Conservation Committee; NDSU Extension and Western Area Power Admin., Bismarck.

 

Zhengyi, W. and P. Raven. 1994. Flora of China. Science Press, Bejing, China, and Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis.

 

Prepared By:

Sarah Wennerberg

Formerly USDA NRCS National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

 

Species Coordinator:

Mark Skinner

USDA NRCS National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

 

Edited: 25June2004 sbw; 20Oct2004 rln; 05jun06 jsp

 

For more information about this and other plants, please contact your local NRCS field office or Conservation District, and visit the PLANTS Web site<https://plants.usda.gov> or the Plant Materials Program Web site <https://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov>

 

 

 

Attribution:  U.S. Department of Agriculture