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Cotoneaster simonsii

Himalayan cotoneaster

Rosaceae Himalaya (northeast India)

Attracts Pollinators Drought Tolerant

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterLow · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 6–9

Overview

Cotoneaster simonsii is a stiffly upright, semi-evergreen to deciduous shrub of the rose family, growing 6-13 feet (2-4 m) tall with erect, sparingly branched stems. The young shoots are clothed in bristly brown hairs, and the small, glossy dark-green leaves, 0.4-1.2 inches (1-3 cm) long, are broadly oval with pointed tips and paler, hairy undersides. In June and July it carries small flowers in clusters of two to four, the white petals flushed pink and only half-opening in the cup-shaped manner of the genus. These give way to bright orange-red, egg-shaped berries about 0.3 inch (8 mm) long that ripen in autumn and persist into winter. In cooler areas part or all of the foliage turns red before falling. Native to the Himalaya, the shrub has naturalised widely in the British Isles and elsewhere from bird-sown seed. It is listed on Schedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, making it an offence to plant or allow it to spread in the wild in Britain. The berries contain cyanogenic compounds that are mildly poisonous if eaten in quantity.

Native Range

Native to the Himalaya, particularly the Khasi Hills of northeast India, where it grows on open hillsides and forest margins. It is now naturalised across the British Isles, New Zealand, and other temperate regions.

Suggested Uses

Grown as informal hedging, screening, and wildlife cover, spaced about 18-24 inches (45-60 cm) apart in hedge lines. The autumn berries feed birds, though the same berries drive its spread into the wild. Its invasive status limits its use in many areas to existing plantings.

How to Identify

Recognized by its stiff, erect growth and bristly young shoots, with small oval leaves that are glossy dark green above and hairy beneath. The pink-tinged white flowers half-open in small clusters, followed by orange-red, egg-shaped berries. Its upright outline and persistent winter berries separate it from the low, arching cotoneasters.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height6' - 13'

Width/Spread5' - 8'

Reaches mature size in approximately 5 years

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~4 weeks

Summer

Flowering occurs in June and July, with small clusters of cup-shaped, pink-flushed white flowers along the stems. The half-open flowers are rich in nectar and draw bees and hoverflies. Orange-red berries follow from September and are taken by birds through autumn and winter, which spreads the seed widely.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

dark green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 4-12 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 - 8.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam clay chalk sand

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

3-5 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

This adaptable shrub grows in full sun to partial shade on almost any free-draining soil, including chalk, clay, and poor stony ground. It withstands wind, coastal exposure, and hard clipping, which has made it a frequent hedging plant. Because it self-seeds aggressively through bird-dispersed berries, it is treated as an invasive species in Britain and several other regions. Propagation is by seed or semi-ripe cuttings, though new planting in the wild is restricted by law. Established plants need little water or feeding and recover quickly from pruning. Removing berries before birds take them limits unwanted spread into surrounding land.

Pruning

Tolerates clipping and renovation pruning from late winter to early spring, resprouting freely from old wood. Hedges are trimmed once or twice in summer to keep a dense outline. Cutting off flowering or fruiting wood reduces the crop of berries and the resulting self-seeding.