Cotoneaster dammeri 'Coral Beauty'

Synonym: hybrid cotoneaster 'Coral Beauty', coral beauty cotoneaster, Cotoneaster dammeri 'Royal Beauty', Cotoneaster dammeri 'Pink Beauty.', Cotoneaster humifuscus 'Coral Beauty' Cotoneaster humifuscus 'Coral Beauty'

Cotoneaster dammeri 'Coral Beauty' (Cotoneaster dammeri 'Coral Beauty') – a cultivar of non-spiny shrubs of the genus Cotoneaster, family Rosaceae (Rosaceae). The cultivar was introduced into cultivation in 1967 at the "W. Hoogendoorn and Sons" nursery in Boskoop, Netherlands.

It is an evergreen shrub 0.6-0.6 m in height and up to 1.5 m in width. The crown is dense, flat, prostrate. Shoots are thin, hanging to the ground and root well.

Leaves dark green, small, glossy, elliptical or oval in shape. In winter the leaves acquire a reddish-purple color.

Flowers small, white, fragrant, densely arranged along the branch. Blooms in April–May.

Fruits globose, bright red, densely arranged along the branch, and persist on the branches for a long time. Fruits from August to September.

Hardiness zone: zone 5-8 (-29°C).

Location: prefers sunny positions but can grow in shade. Grows even in the most polluted sites. Tolerates urban conditions well.

Propagation: propagated by seeds and green cuttings. Seed viability – 80%. Rooting of cuttings – poor.

Soil: undemanding plant. Can grow on any garden soil from slightly acidic to alkaline. Drought-tolerant, but flowers and fruits abundantly on moderately moist soil.

Planting: planting mix – compost consisting of topsoil, peat and sand in proportions 2:1:2.

Care: in hot and dry summers, to maintain decorativeness it is recommended to water the plant 1–2 times a month at a rate of 1–2 buckets per plant.

Pruning: tolerates clipping and pruning well. After pruning it regrows well while maintaining its growth form. When shaped it forms dense hedges and sculptural groups. Recommended pruning – to one-third of the length of the annual shoot, where a dense and bushy habit is required.

Diseases: Fusarium (remove and burn infected parts)

Pests: apple aphid, plum sawfly, cotoneaster mite.

Use: a highly ornamental plant. Widely used in group and solitary plantings in parks, landscape plantings, and urban greening. Suitable for creating hedges, and also looks effective in naturalistic gardens. A good nectar source. Its hard wood is used to make walking sticks, pipes and other crafts. Young shoots, leaves and fruits are used in folk medicine.