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Plant Identification

Lawnmower ChrisLawnmower Chris Posts: 54
in Problem solving

Have moved into a new property & come across this plant that's too big.

What is it please, so that I can investigate pruning instructions.

Thanks,

Chris

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Posts

  • BookertooBookertoo Posts: 1,306

    Hi, pretty sure that is a cotoneaster shrub.  The flowers will later on develop into very bright red berries, which are pretty in the winter, and the birds tend not to eat them very early, guess they are not their favourites.

    You can prune it now , and reduce the number of berries you have, or later in the year, ditto - whenever you do it you are going to lose some flowers or berries.  They are very good plants, pruning will really depend upon how much space you want it to occupy.

    If it is against a wall you can train it up the wall, it makes quite a nice wall shrub if you want that. 

  • fotofitfotofit Posts: 73

    Hi Lawnmower Chris and Bookertoo - yes type of cotoneaster - not sure which - we have several, including trees in the garden planted by previous occupants.

    Bees love the unopened and opened flowers and birds the berries. We have found the palnts to be pretty indestructible so prune at any time, bearing in mind the comments of Bookertoo.

    You could leave pruning until next Spring now that you know what it is !!! image

  • Lawnmower ChrisLawnmower Chris Posts: 54

    Thanks Bookertoo & fotofit, appreciate your respective responses. Knowledge is King.

    Cheers,   Chris

  • diggingdorisdiggingdoris Posts: 512

    Yes it's very indestructable. I had one with 2 large trunks and decided to saw one off at ground level. It is shooting lovely new stems up in just a couple of months. And there was me worrying that I might have killed it! No chance!

  • BookertooBookertoo Posts: 1,306

    indeed, they are pretty hard to kill, though I did lose one in the bitter winter of 18 months ago!!

  • pr1mr0sepr1mr0se Posts: 1,185

    They self-seed everywhere, courtesy of the birds, I guess.  The flowers are pretty inconsequential, but the bees love them.  I have one (cotoneaster, not a bee!) just outside the kitchen door.  It is alive with bees atm - when the sun shines, that is.  I let it flower, the bees do their thing, and then I prune it back, sacrificing some of the berries but keeping the plant in check.  If left, it can get a bit unwieldy in my experience.

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