Pruning cotoneaster.

[robmarston]

I have a deciduous cotoneaster growing up a wall and I want it to be dense and bushy. Would pruning it achieve this? I wonder because the herringbone branches don't look like they'd bush out. Thanks for any help.


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[WendyC]

I think you'll find the branches naturally grow flat, either along a wall or along the ground. Pruning won't persuade it otherwise.

[dogsbody]

Perhaps take cuttings and set them infront of the existing plant? My cotoneaster was massive until my new drive was put in..... now it is just starting to reshoot.......

[Glutton4...]

Pruning it will help it bush, but it will be a slow process. I would also plant another couple.

[Madasafish]

What I did with ours was to break the longer branches - taking care not to snap them - and bend them so the plant is more compact. Over a period of 15 years,we ended up with a sort of bushy plant....

[robmarston]

Thanks all. I have actually planted about 4 next to each other about 6 inches apart so I'll leave it for a while and see how it progresses.


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[Kristen]

I wonder because the herringbone branches don't look like they'd bush out.

A photo would help, but that sounds 99% as though it is Cotoneaster horizontalis, and if so it won't bush up whatever you do. Plant one in front and it will grow flat along the ground ...

Lots of other nice, bushy, Cotoneasters - so if you are looking for something with similar leaf / berries etc. then might be best to plant a new one alongside the existing to get something more bushy? Over time the Horizontalis will succumb to the new one.

[robmarston]

That's interesting. It is indeed horizontalis and I've planted it against a wall. Hmm, not sure what to do now, I was hoping for a bushy hobbit hole look......


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