Cotoneaster conspicuus ‘Decorus’

Our pocket edition of the Hillier Manual of Trees and Shrubs rarely falls open on the Cotoneaster pages since we know and love them all so well. But it’s good to have a refresh of the classics from time to time. Just below a marmalade-y thumbprint we see that this one was handed an Award of Garden Merit way back in 1993. That’s super, but rather by the by as we know it’s a proper corker and there should be space for at least one in every garden.

From the Tsangpo river in Tibet, this is a very hardy shrub with gracefully arcing branches and buttons of small green leaves that are deeply glossy. Loads of white flowers open in May, all along the vaulted stems and these are followed by heaps of teeny red berries that are brilliantly shiny and bead the branches for a long time, often right through winter. It can reach 1.5 x 2.5m but is often lower to the ground.

This low-growing nature makes it excellent for covering banks and tricky patches that you may not want to clamber into/onto/or around to coddle less stalwart things. As well as being exceptionally free-fruiting it also seems that the birds are less keen on devouring these ones. Hopefully they’re getting some sustenance elsewhere: we’ll leave the crusts from our marmalade sandwiches out.

An easy shrub, happy in most soil but does like good drainage. Whilst tolerant of partial shade, a position in full sun will be best for berries.

N.B. When clipping several plants with the same tool, have a bucket containing a 5% bleach solution and swish your blades around for 30 seconds between plants to sterilise them. This will help avoid the chance of cross contamination of disease.

As with all woody plants, plant high, exposing as much of the taper at the base of the trunk as possible. Allowing soil to accumulate round the base of a tree can be fatal. Keep very well watered when first planted.