Cotoneaster divaricatus - Spreading Cotoneaster (Rosaceae) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cotoneaster divaricatus is a horizontally spreading and abscise by early winter shrub or hedge. Spreading Cotoneaster branches to -the ornamental effect is limited as the fruits become the ground, has small glossy dark green leaves, red lost in the mixed-colored, slow-to-abscise autumn autumn fruits, vibrant mixed autumn color, and is foliage, but is very attractive when viewed up-close virtually absent of the disease and pest problems that Twigs plague some Cotoneasters. -red-purple (although not ornamental) with a persistent pubescence on the tips of the winter stems, FEATURES and a waxy coating that flakes off with age further Form down the stems; buds are very small -medium-sized ornamental shrub Trunk -maturing at about 7' tall x 8' wide -not applicable -upright columnar growth habit in youth, but quickly becoming horizontal and spreading with age, with the USAGE Function -informal or formal hedge, entranceway, group planting, foundation, specimen, or border shrub effective when unpruned and used with distinctly vertical plants for a stark contrast in growth directions -also good with a background of evergreens (red berries and mixed-color autumn foliage contrast well against the greenery) Texture -fine texture in foliage and medium texture when bare outer stems unbranched for 1-3' and held horizontally -open density in foliage and when bare to slightly downswept Assets -medium growth rate -lustrous dark green summer foliage Culture -horizontal stems with maturity -full sun to partial shade -branching to the ground (excellent when used as a -prefers moist, well-drained soils in full sun but is hedge) very adaptable and urban tolerant, including Liabilities adaptability to poor soils, various -garbage and dead leaf collector (due to low soil pHs, drought, pruning, branching) moderate salt spray, and some soil -may eventually spread horizontally beyond its compaction intended boundaries if kept as an informal hedge or -propagated by rooted stem unpruned shrub cuttings or seeds Habitat -few disease and pest problems; the -Zones 5 to 7 problems that most Cotoneasters -Native to China experience (fireblight, spider mites, and webworm) are rare in this species SELECTIONS -mulch thoroughly underneath the shrub canopy to Alternates prevent hard-to-access tall weeds from climbing -other horizontally spreading deciduous shrubs or through the stems hedges (Euonymus alatus 'Compactus', Ligustrum -moderately available, primarily in container form obtusifolium var. regelianum, Viburnum plicatum Foliage var. tomentosum 'Shasta', etc.) -dark glossy green leaves are about Cultivars – Variants – Related species 1" long and are alternate, elliptical, -the species form is the only form available; however, with flattened margins (some 2 Cotoneasters that were once commonly in Cotoneasters have rolled or wavy cultivation (yet today are hard to obtain) are listed leaf margins) and without below, noting differences with Spreading impressed leaf veins Cotoneaster: -autumn color is a nice mixture of Cotoneaster lucidus - Hedge Cotoneaster - leaves green, yellow, orange, red, and twice as large but just as glossy, with an even more burgundy, slowly becoming deciduous outstanding autumn color mix; growth habit a little Flowers more upright, and fruits turn from red to purple-black -pink buds open to small white-pink flowers that are at maturity held tightly against the stems, blossoming in late May Cotoneaster zabelii - Cherryberry Cotoneaster - and early June leaves twice as large and are distinctly gray-green -the many solitary and clustered small flowers are due to their dense pubescence (and therefore are not effective when a large, mature, unpruned plant is in glossy); fruits are dull red but in pendulous clusters, full flower hanging from 2" long peduncles and pedicels from Fruits the stems in autumn -0.25" long red oval fruits mature in Sept. and Oct..