Cotoneaster Horizontalis

Cotoneaster Horizontalis is a deciduous low-growing shrub with glossy green leaves and an abundance of pollinator-friendly white flowers followed by bright red winter berries. It’s an ideal ground cover with excellent autumn and winter colour for low-maintenance wildlife-friendly spaces.

Cotoneaster Horizontalis was discovered in West China in the 1800s. Its name is derived from the Latin ‘cotoneum’ for quince and ‘aster’ for resembling, so in other words resembling a quince. Horizontal refers to its prostrate low-growing form.

It has simple small glossy leaves that look waxy and emerge on flat sprays of horizontal branches in spring. Its flowers in summer, producing a swathe of pinky-white blooms that pollinators love. Its blooms turn into a heavy crop of bright red berries that blackbirds and thrushes enjoy. In autumn the leaves turn ruby red to match the berries. Unless they’re eaten by birds, the berries remain on its intricate branches after the leaves fall in late autumn to produce an attractive Christmassy shrub.

Cotoneaster Horizontalis is an excellent ground cover and it’s essential in wildlife gardens. It’s low maintenance enough to take care of itself but always looks attractive.

Height and Spread of Cotoneaster Horizontalis
Cotoneaster Horizontalis reaches a maximum height of one metre and spreads 1.5 metres over 10 to 20 years.

How Hardy is Cotoneaster Horizontalis
This is a very hardy shrub. The RHS have classed it as an H7 which is their toughest rating. It can cope with minus degree winters and summer drought once established.

How To Use Cotoneaster Horizontalis
This decorative shrub is ideal ground cover in low maintenance spaces and tricky spots like slopes and pollution prone front gardens. Although it’s naturally low growing, it can grow up a wall if it’s trained to form an attractive flat screen.
Wildlife loves its nectar-rich flowers, nutrient-rich berries and dense protective branches that offer some cover even when the leaves have fallen.
Grow it against a wall or fence, in dry soil, on a slope or anywhere exposed that needs some structure and colour. Cotoneaster horizontalis is a versatile but underappreciated shrub with year round interest. 

How To Care For Cotoneaster Horizontalis
Cotoneaster Horizontalis is easy to grow and needs very little care. Choose a sheltered or exposed spot in well-drained soil of any type including chalk, clay or sand. It prefers full sun and will produce more berries there, but it can cope with partial shade too.
Pruning isn’t necessary, but wayward branches can be trimmed in winter if necessary. Apply a thick layer of organic mulch to its roots in spring to encourage a big winter berry display and water it regularly until you see new growth. It’s a hardy shrub but it needs lots of water to establish a strong root system first.