For everyone who plans to create a lawn in their area or in front of the house and is going to buy grass seeds, we inform you that she has a spectacular alternative - the Dammer cotoneaster plant unique in many respects. Undoubtedly, the emerald green grass is beautiful, but somehow trivial and troublesome, because it does not turn yellow in the heat, it needs to be watered daily, and so as not to spoil the appearance of the lawn by inappropriately overgrown ears, mow regularly. Cotoneaster Dummer does not require such a hassle. Once planted, he will delight his master with gorgeous greenery for many years. In addition, it can be used not only for lawns, but also for creating evergreen living borders, hedges, as a natural covering material that covers all the ugly places on the site. We invite you to get acquainted with the features of the cultivation, care, propagation of this amazing plant, as well as some of its varieties.
Botanical Description
Cotoneaster Dammer belongs to the Rosaceae and belongs to the family pink, that is, is a relative of all the familiar apple trees, raspberries, strawberries. It has many varieties, some of which are very tiny, no higher than 7-10 cm, others a little taller, up to 60-90, the third are almost giants growing up to one and a half meters. The root system of all Dammer cotoneaster is branched, consisting of dozens of thin roots. Small leaflets, up to 2, less than 2.5 cm in length, in shape either ovoid with absolutely even edges, or having a small notch and a clear vein at the apex, dividing the leaf blade in half. The color of the leaves is saturated green in summer, and in the fall of all shades of crimson.
Dammer cotoneaster blooms very beautifully. The photo clearly shows this. The flowering period falls on May-June. Its small (up to one centimeter in diameter), but fragrant flowers have five petals of white or pinkish color and many stamens that are crowned with purple anthers. Flowers are opened in the axils of the leaves and can grow singly or 2-3. But the cotoneaster's most spectacular fruits are reminiscent of generously scattered coral beads up to 7 mm in diameter. On the branches they hold until spring.
View Features
Cotoneaster Dammer came to Europe from the central regions of China, where its wild thickets effectively braid over stone cliffs, spread along mountain slopes and hills, rising above sea level to a height of 4 km. In European gardens, it has been cultivated since the beginning of the last century. For such a long period, many varieties were developed that are suitable for cultivation in central Russia and in its northern regions. Cotoneaster can be called one of the most capricious decorative cultures. Almost any soil is suitable for it, it does not require watering, it is stable against frosts and droughts, air pollution does not affect its viability, but lives about 50 years.
The use of cotoneaster Dammer in landscape design
To give a beautiful look to your personal plot, this wonderful plant can be used in different ways, depending on the variety. For example, the dwarf cotoneaster Dammer Mayor is ideally suited as a ground cover. It grows with a magnificent carpet, which is convenient to decorate uncovered patches of land, compost pits, places that are not amenable to other types of landscaping. Also, this and other dwarf varieties are great for decorating slopes, rockeries and rock gardens, and climbing stone walls, they can give an original look to any building.
Low-growing varieties, for example, Dammer Eicholz cotoneaster, whose height can reach one meter, are better than others for creating colorful vivid curbs and hedges. They also plant as a central element in plant compositions.
Features of propagation by seeds
Spectacular and original fruit, which from the beginning of September to the very spring delights the cotoneaster Dammer. The photo shows how they look in the winter on snow.
Each berry can have 4 or 5 seeds. Reproduction of this type of cotoneaster by seeds is not the best option, but it is practiced quite often. It is believed that this is how the plant is able to best adapt to the conditions of each site. The main difficulty that gardeners face is low, only within 20% of seed germination. Another feature of them is the uneven stratification. That is, some seeds sown in the fall can sprout next spring, while others will “sleep” in the ground for another year. Therefore, where the cotoneaster is not sown, but the cotoneaster has not ascended, they plant nothing else for another year.
How to sow seeds
The process of propagation of the cotoneaster Dammer by seeds is as follows: ripe berries are picked in the fall, the seeds are washed from the pulp and soaked in cold water. After about 30 minutes, all the substandard will pop up, and at the bottom there will be seeds that can give life to new plants. Then you can go in two ways:
1. Collect suitable seeds, place in boxes with garden soil, sand and peat (1: 1: 1) and leave at a temperature of 0-7 ° C for up to 9 months. The soil should be slightly moist all the time. Emerging seedlings are covered from drafts and direct sun, watered moderately and very carefully. Seedlings with 3-4 leaves are planted in open ground in early autumn or spring.
2. In autumn, the seeds are separated from the pulp, washed and sown immediately in open ground to a depth of 4 cm, watered, make shelter like a small greenhouse over them to protect from the bright sun. Shoots can appear within 2 years from the moment of sowing.
Vegetative propagation
Cotoneaster Dammer, planted even by a single specimen, is soon able to occupy a plot with a radius of several meters. This plant does not just grow, it propagates itself, because the branches that touch the ground are perfectly rooted. Such "talents" are mainly manifested by dwarf varieties, for example, Major, Cardinal. Mid-sized varieties, such as the cotoneaster Dammera Coral Beauty, Stockholm, are also able to root themselves, but it is more convenient to propagate them by cuttings. Young green or already lignified, but necessarily healthy and powerful enough shoots are suitable. Green petioles are harvested in mid-summer, cutting them so long that there are at least 2 internodes. For greater effectiveness, the finished petioles are placed in the root (according to the instructions) and planted in greenhouses (not film). The soil for them should consist of humus, garden soil and sand. Still sand is poured on top with a layer of about 5-7 cm, moistened. Petioles are placed at an angle in the sand, but so that their ends touch the ground. When they are well rooted, they are transplanted into the garden.
If you couldn’t get the green cuttings, you can try with woody ones. To do this, shoots are cut at the end of autumn or at the very beginning of winter, placed in sand and lowered into the basement. In spring, cuttings of about 25-30 cm long are prepared from shoots. The further process is the same as with summer cuttings.
Landing
Dammer cotoneaster almost does not cause trouble to its owners. Landing and caring for it is very simple. As noted above, it can be planted on any soil in places where it is difficult for other plants. But nevertheless, in order for the cotoneaster to grow magnificent and beautiful, it is desirable to observe several requirements. So, he loves the sun, but feels good in partial shade. The optimal time for planting in open ground is the beginning of spring, until the buds open, or the second half of autumn until frost. If you plan to create a hedge from a cotoneaster , preferably in the ground where it will decorate the garden, drive in pegs and pull the string, and already dig a groove up to 70 cm deep and 50 cm wide on it. Put bushes in it at a distance of 35-45 cm from the other, fill with soil, which must be compacted, pour. Despite the fact that cotoneaster is not demanding on soils, it is better that in the planting pits there is a mixture of sand of river large, sod land and peat.
Care
Cotoneaster Dammer is a real treasure for those who do not like to mess with fastidious green pets or are very cramped in time, because all care for this plant consists in pruning sick and weak shoots in early spring and watering on especially hot days, but not more often 2- 3 times a month. If necessary, they produce an artistic haircut of cotoneaster bushes, for example, when hedges are created. You can also feed the plant so that it is especially beautiful, more magnificent and bloomed longer. Compost and complex fertilizers that are applied to the soil in spring are suitable for top dressing. Some gardeners advise fertilizing in the summer, using organics for this - bird droppings or slurry. Cotoneaster grows so thick carpet that leaves no chance to break through the weeds. Therefore, weeding, as a rule, is not required.
Pests and diseases
In general, Dammer's cotoneaster is almost not sick, but sometimes it can be affected by fusarium. In such cases, plants are treated with fungicides, and if the lesion is too strong, diseased bushes are destroyed. Of the pests for cotoneaster, apple aphids, scabies, plum sawflies, cotoneaster mites are dangerous. The diseased plant becomes not so attractive, the leaves frown, turn yellow, and fall off. Insecticides are used to control pests.
Cotoneaster Dummer Coral Beauty
This is one of the most sought after varieties. Brought him in 1967 in the Netherlands. Outwardly, it is a lush shrub up to 60 cm high with thin shoots hanging down and creeping on the ground that can perfectly root. The Coral Beauty variety is unusually decorative. In summer, its elliptical leaves with a clear median vein are saturated green. By mid-September, they become burgundy, red-violet, purple. This variety blooms in mid-spring. Its flowers densely cover the twigs, creating an unusually picturesque fragrant carpet. The variety is quite frost-resistant, suitable for cultivation in central Russia.
Cotoneaster Dummer Major
This is one of the shortest varieties. The height of its bushes rarely reaches 15 cm, more often it rises above the ground by only 7-10 cm. This crumb has small, oval leaves that reach 1-2 cm in length. In the summer they are of a beautiful green color, in the fall they turn bright orange and purple. . Flowers at the cotoneaster Major are white, bloom in late spring and last until mid-June. The berries are light red. This variety grows on any soil, including sandy and rocky, frost-resistant, not particularly demanding on moisture. He needs watering only in extreme heat.
Cotoneaster variety Dammer Eichholz
This is one of the relatively tall varieties, the bushes of which are stretched to a height of 1 meter. But its branches are able to creep along the earth. Cotoneaster Dammer Eichholz is perfect for alpine slides and rock gardens, creating various compositions, hedges. His leaves are small, in the summer saturated green, in the fall red-orange. The flowers are located in the axils of the leaves and grow one at a time. They bloom in the second half of spring. The fruits of the cotoneaster Eicholz are slightly oblong, orange and red. This variety loves sunny areas, is undemanding to moisture, calmly tolerates a polluted atmosphere, but in harsh winters it requires light shelter with spruce branches.
Cotoneaster variety Dammer Skogholm
It features fast growth of shoots. If other representatives of the species annual growth does not exceed 10-15 cm, and in some cases only 7 cm, then Cotoneaster Dammer Skogholm pleases its owners with a gain of up to 1 meter per growing season. It differs from its “brothers” by its higher growth. Shrubs of this variety can reach a height of up to 1.5 meters. However, its shoots also manage to spread along the ground and quickly form lush carpets. The leaves of cotoneaster Skogholm are small, up to 2 cm long, evergreen, the flowers are white, bloom in late spring, the fruits are very spectacular, purple-red. This variety is one of the few shrubs that tolerates shade. To the soils, like other cotoneaster, it is undemanding and tolerates the winters of the Moscow Region.