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Impulse Buy - Disaster?

ChilliBobChilliBob Posts: 98
Guys, 15:45 yesterday with a trolley full of plants I decided I liked the look of the Cotoneaster horizontalis.. The garden centre description sounded decent - nice flowers, berries, interest in the garden for a long time etc, so, in it went.

I've just done more research now to decide where to plant it, and I'm not even sure if I should!

It seems it's invasive and basically, had I done the research before, I'd not have purchased it.. 

So, do I chalk it up to experience, and literally chuck it in the (landfill) bin, or is there some way to responsibly plant it (bearing in mind I have two children too - ages 5 and 10 months). For what it's worth it's a fair size pot, £14 jobbie.

Erm yeah, that's why I prefer to go armed with research, but my wife was getting a bit impatient that my research was taking forever. Oops!
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  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    I grow it up a low fence and up a wall. You might get the odd runner or self - seeder, which you can remove but it is certainly not invasive.
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,043
    I had one as a short hedge on one side of a path with a shrub bed on the other side at a previous house. The bees loved its flowers and the birds loved the berries. I didn't even know that it was classed as invasive, mine wasn't.
    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    I've never heard it described as invasive before.
    l've had it in my garden and seen it in others, and wouldn't describe it like that.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    14 quid!!
    I  could have sent you some for hee haw  :D

    I'd never describe it as invasive. It's also easy because you can hack it back to almost nothing and it won't mind.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    I had one outside my lounge for 30ish yrs before I had a extension.
    I loved it - not at all invasive. Occasionally a berry would germinate and I'd get a little seedling now and then but that's all.
    Being just under the lounge window it was great to watch the blackbirds eating the seeds over winter.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    It's not badly behaved in the garden, it is actually an excellent wildlife plant. The invasive part comes from berries being carried by birds and dropped in places where the plant can out-compete native scrubland. However.... there is so much cotoneaster planted in front gardens and supermarket car parks all over our towns and villages, that your plant isn't really going to make much of a difference to this.
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • bcpathomebcpathome Posts: 1,313
    Oh don’t chuck it out . It’s the highlight of my garden ,grows over old brick steps that I want to hide ( no longer in use but can’t remove as made of concrete) covers the ugly wall of the garage and the birds love it as do the bees when it’s in flower .If it grows too big ,give it a little haircut. Please don’t throw it away  .

  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
     @ChilliBob Yes it is common and it was only pointed out to me last week that it is invasive! Common for a reason, grow it in front of a 6ft fence and cut back anything that comes forward. With a few horizontal wires you have the very best plant for covering/ semi covering a fence. If you need to replace the fence just tip it forward and replace the wires. You don't need to cut back you keep the height. Brilliant.
    Creates a lovely fan shape in winter, flowers in spring, great back drop for other plants in summer, berries and autumn reds and oranges. Also loved by hoverflies. 
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • philippasmith2philippasmith2 Posts: 3,742
    Agree with all the above - the term "invasive" is becoming quite common ( invasive even  ;) ) but often with little or no clarification.
    You don't give the source for your research results so hard to dismiss out of hand but find a suitable site for it and enjoy it as an attractive and beneficial addition to your garden :)
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    edited April 2023
    Like buying a kitten.   You get them free.

    Invasive they are not.  Easily reproduced, yes.  Anyone will give you one.  Try asking real people, not just the internet.

    In future do more research and avoid impulse.  

     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
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