Royal Beauty Cotoneaster

The Royal Beauty Cotoneaster is an evergreen ground cover that is hardy even in zone 5, without the leaves being damaged. It has small, glossy leaves on low, arching stems, with a single plant covering 6 feet or more, and staying just 12 to 18 inches tall. It is perfect for the front of large beds, or for covering sloping and rocky areas. In spring the branches are garlanded with small white blooms, and in late summer, through fall and into winter, the heavy crop of orange-red berries on this variety makes a great show. These also provide valuable food for birds in winter, and butterflies visit the blooms in spring.

• Handsome evergreen ground cover
• Heavy crop of orange-red berries in fall
• Winter leaves are reddish to purple
• Perfect way to cover slopes and rocky areas
• Naturally low and wide-spreading for the front of beds

Grow the Royal Beauty Cotoneaster in full sun, or a little shade, in well-drained soil. It will grow in most garden conditions, but not in wet ground. It has good drought resistance once it is established, so it is ideal for poor soil and drier areas, although not in hot zones in hot, open places without any water. Pests and diseases usually leave it alone, and the only care needed is to remove a few old branches each year, to encourage fresh new growth.