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Cotoneaster Pruning Advice

PenninePJPenninePJ Posts: 23
in Problem solving
I have a cotoneaster (horizontalis, I think) which I would like to prune quite hard, to reduce its height. However, I am wary of being too vicious because the plant makes for an important divider in the garden. I have read conflicting advice on cutting back cotoneaster and would really like to know if I can cut back into old wood without lasting damage.
Many thanks for any advice,
Pennine PJ 
https://catsandapenninegarden.blogspot.com/

Posts

  • BorderlineBorderline Posts: 4,700
    Your shrub could be Microphyllus. There is no issue with cutting the shrubs back into old wood. They will soon recover. It's a good time from now onwards, but best to wait until all the harsh weather pass.
  • PenninePJPenninePJ Posts: 23
    edited January 2019
    Thanks borderline. I was hoping you would reassure me. But not likely to be Microphyllus as mine is not evergreen (it is a picture taken last year)
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Quite impressive spread,  PenninePJ!
    They're all pretty robust, and you can hack them back without any problems. I've certainly never had any trouble with them. The biggest problem is deciding when to do it. I hate doing it too early as you miss the flowers for the bees, too late and you miss those flowers becoming berries for the birds! If you can do half and half it's the best of both worlds  ;)
    Which reminds me, I have one at the back of the garden that needs some controlling now that the birds have stripped all the berries. I'll have to wait a little while though as the weather's a bit unsuitable just now, as Borderline says.
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • PenninePJPenninePJ Posts: 23
    Excellent advice, despite the decreasing popularity of the cotoneaster (and its possible invasive habits), I am very fond of ours. The joy of watching all the bees when it flowers and the berries later on in the season means I would be really sad to lose it, as would the local wildlife So Fairygirl I will definitely tackle half to the right of the steps and leave that on the left until later in the year.
    Thank you.
    Pennine PJ 
    https://catsandapenninegarden.blogspot.com/
  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445
    Is Cotoneaster decreasing in popularity? that's a shame,so good for wildlife 


    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • LiriodendronLiriodendron Posts: 8,328
    So many different sorts, too, for different situations.  It seems a shame that some plants go out of fashion... winter flowering heathers, for example.  I wouldn't be without them (nor cotoneasters, for that matter).

    Fashions in gardening are as stupid as fashions in any other walk of life, in my opinion. 
    Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
  • RubytooRubytoo Posts: 1,630
    edited January 2019
    It is on a list of "invasive" plants. I don't know nor remember the name of the common wild one or if it is a couple of other in the species too. Guess they all get plumped together?
    Like good and bad knot weeds.

    We have several different cultivars, and the horizontalis and another big leaved one (the bees love) self seed madly. So  could understand them getting a bad name.
    But not hard to weed along with many other things in the garden they might pose a problem in the wild?

    @PeninePj Apologies lovely spread you have there.
    I also love them :)
  • LiriodendronLiriodendron Posts: 8,328
    Ah, I get it now.  Yes, I can see how cotoneaster might be best avoided in some situations because birds spread it around... it would be a shame if we couldn't grow it in our gardens though... as Nut says, it's good for wildlife.  

    Many of us grow Buddleia davidii and/or Rosa rugosa too, which are both also on the invasive species list.  As far as I'm aware mine haven't spread into the wild... yet...
    Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I'm always plucking little seedlings out of the gravel where the birds have 'deposited' the seeds. Easy to pull out when small. I can see how some people could consider them invasive, but it's a shame if it stops them being planted. 
    Wouldn't be without them in my garden. Brilliant plants for all sorts of places.
    The inherited one I have unfortunately borders the rear access lane, so I have to keep it in reasonable check, but the birds and bees love them so much, that I regularly put off the hacking back. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • RubytooRubytoo Posts: 1,630
    I did not know about rosa rugosa @Liriodendron, but when you see buddleia on waste ground covered in lovely butterflies you have to wonder quite how bad some things are. :)
    Fairy I have the same dilemma with cutting back too, and our little Lonicera nitida hedge gets left because of the honey bees on the flowers.
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