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Cotoneaster salicifolius

willow-leaved cotoneaster

Rosaceae Western China

Attracts Pollinators Drought Tolerant

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterLow · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 6–8

Overview

Cotoneaster salicifolius is an evergreen shrub reaching 8-15 feet (2.5-5 m) tall and about as wide, with long, arching to spreading branches. The willow-like leaves are lance-shaped, 2-3.5 inches (5-9 cm) long, dark green and wrinkled above with sunken veins, and white- to grey-felted beneath. Small white five-petalled flowers about 0.2-0.3 inch (5-8 mm) across are borne in flattened clusters in June. These are followed in autumn by dense crops of round red pomes about 0.2 inch (5 mm) across, which persist into winter. The foliage holds through the year but may bronze or drop partly in hard winters at the colder limit of its range. Growth is moderately fast once established. Branches root where they touch moist ground, and seedlings arise freely from bird-dropped fruit. Many low, ground-covering forms exist alongside the tall species type.

Native Range

Native to western China, where it grows in mountain scrub and woodland margins. Widely planted elsewhere in temperate regions, it has naturalised in parts of Britain and western Europe through bird-dispersed seed.

Suggested Uses

Used as a tall informal hedge, screen, or specimen shrub, spaced 6-10 feet (1.8-3 m) apart, with lower forms grown as bank and ground cover. The persistent fruit draws birds into autumn and winter plantings. Its free seeding and naturalising habit limit its use near sensitive natural areas.

How to Identify

Recognised by the narrow, willow-like evergreen leaves 2-3.5 inches (5-9 cm) long with a wrinkled, dark green upper surface and white-felted underside. The arching branches carry flat clusters of small white flowers in June and red berries through autumn and winter. The long, narrow leaves separate it from round-leaved species such as Cotoneaster horizontalis, and the evergreen habit distinguishes it from deciduous cotoneasters.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height8' - 15'

Width/Spread8' - 15'

Colors

Flower Colors

white

Foliage Colors

green

Fall Foliage Colors

no change

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~3 weeks

Summer

Flowers in June over about 2-3 weeks. The white flowers are followed by red fruit that colours from September and persists into winter. Bloom timing is fairly consistent across regions, shifting a week or two with spring temperatures. Flowering is heaviest on growth exposed to full sun.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

dark green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 4-10 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 7.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam clay sand chalk

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

5-10 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grows in full sun to partial shade on most well-drained soils, tolerating a range of pH. Established plants tolerate drought, wind, and urban conditions, and recover from hard cutting back. Fireblight can kill branches in warm, wet springs, showing as blackened, wilted shoot tips. The bark and leaves may also be affected by silverleaf and honey fungus. Birds strip the fruit and spread seed widely, producing volunteer seedlings. Self-sown plants establish in rough ground beyond the garden.

Pruning

Prune after fruiting or in late winter to limit size and take out dead or diseased wood. The shrub tolerates hard renovation pruning, regrowing from old wood. Removing fruiting branches before the berries ripen reduces self-seeding into surrounding ground.