Content
The black cotoneaster is a close relative of the classic red cotoneaster, which is also used for decorative purposes. These two plants are successfully used in various fields of landscape design and decorate many areas with extraordinary figures. The black cotoneaster in the photo, as well as on the site, looks elegant.
Description of the cotoneaster
This type of cotoneaster is distributed over a vast territory from the Caucasus to the Himalayas. It is a shrub that reaches a height of 2 meters. The spreading of the crown is 1.5 meters.
Leaves with clear veins. The leaf is ovoid. The size is about 4 cm. The sheet has a smooth front surface of dark green color and a lighter back side with a rough surface. In autumn, the leaves change their color scheme to bright purple, which gives the shrub a particularly elegant look.
The black cotoneaster blooms at the end of May. The flowers are small, white-pink in color, collected in inflorescences. After 3-4 weeks of flowering, fruit ovaries are formed on the bush.
Berries on the bush begin to form only in the fifth year after planting. In an immature state, the fruits of this variety of cotoneaster are brown in color. But gradually they ripen and turn into blue-black rounded berries. They often spend the winter right on the bush. This gives the plant a certain flair in winter.
Black cotoneaster is quite an edible berry. But due to the lack of a pronounced taste, it is rarely eaten. However, this berry contains a large amount of vitamins and nutrients. The life span of the shrub is up to 50 years. Therefore, it is beneficial to use it as a decorative decoration. For all its unpretentiousness, the cotoneaster does not require special care, and it will decorate the site for a long time.
Drought resistance and frost resistance
First of all, it should be noted that the black dogwood is very resistant to temperature extremes. That is why it is loved by gardeners and landscape designers. The shrub is able to withstand severe frosts, and there is no need to cover it for the winter.
Disease and pest resistance
The cotoneaster with black berries is highly resistant to both various diseases and many pests. Fusarium is the most common disease. This is a fungal disease that occurs due to high humidity.
The most common pests are aphids, spider mites and scale insects. With correct and timely preventive treatment, it is not necessary to use additional means of struggle. Sometimes, for the treatment of healthy shrubs, a solution of ash or laundry soap is sufficient as a preventive measure.
Landing features
One-year or two-year-old seedlings are suitable for planting. The optimal planting time is spring, even before the beginning of the growing season, or autumn, immediately after leaf fall. In this case, the cotoneaster will take root well and grow quickly.
The bush does not present special conditions to the landing site, but experts recommend planting a cotoneaster on the sunny side of the site.
They plant a shrub in a pit, if it is necessary to make a hedge - then a ditch is used.
The pit should be 70 cm wide and about the same depth. This way you can provide sufficient freedom for the roots of the shrub and its crown. When creating a hedge, plants can be planted a little closer together.
A drainage layer of pebbles and broken red brick is laid out at the bottom of the pit. Then you should prepare a nutritious soil. To do this, take 2 parts of sod land and mix with 2 parts of sand and one part of compost. Compost can be replaced with peat.
The seedling is placed in a hole in an upright position and sprinkled with earth. The soil must be periodically compacted, up to the top layer. The root collar should be flush with the ground. After planting, the plant must be watered abundantly.
For those who decorate the site with several types of plants, it will be pleasant to know that the cotoneaster gets along well with all its neighbors, but the best option is small coniferous stands nearby. The cotoneaster looks elegant in this combination.
Follow-up care of the cotoneaster
Caring for a cotoneaster is not difficult. The plant needs to be watered, pruned and fed. And also to provide him with prevention in the fight against pests and possible diseases.
The cotoneaster categorically does not like a lot of moisture. If the summer is rainy, then the plant may not be watered at all. In a dry summer, it is enough to water the cotoneaster once every 14 days at the rate of 1 bucket of water under one bush. If watering is carried out once a month, then it can be made more abundant and brought under the shrub up to three buckets of water. To flush off the dust, washing the leaves with a hose is suitable.
At least once a season, it is better to feed the shrub so that it continues to grow stronger. The first feeding is carried out in the spring. In a bucket of water, you need to take 25 g of urea and add the solution to the area near the root. Before flowering, the optimal fertilizer is potassium (15 g per square meter). In autumn, peat mulching takes place.
Shrub pruning can be sanitary and formative. Sanitary pruning is carried out to remove diseased and damaged shoots. Formative pruning is carried out annually to form the shrub and remove shoots that are too long. Ideally, pruning is done before the start of the growing season. So the shrub tolerates it better.
It is not required to specially cover the shrub, but it is recommended to mulch the soil with peat. Mulch layer - 8-10 cm. If there is no snow in winter, then the bushes should be bent to the ground and covered with leaves.
Diseases and pests, methods of control and prevention
The main disease that affects cotoneaster shrubs is fusarium. To combat it, it is necessary to carry out sanitary pruning after the first signs of the disease appear. All cut branches are subject to destruction. After pruning, the remaining plant must be treated with a fungicide to prevent spreading. And also, as a preventive measure, special means are used once a year. The main preventive measure is to prevent excessive waterlogging.
The most effective and popular means against pests: Karbofos, Aktelik, Fitoverm. Use in dosage according to instructions.
Conclusion
Black cotoneaster is not just an ornamental shrub with beautiful berries, but also a very useful plant. Its fruits are used dried, rubbed into baked goods and consumed with tea. At the same time, the shrub is unpretentious in care and is a true long-liver. All these qualities make the plant indispensable for use in landscape design and simply for decorating the site. The photo and description of the black cotoneaster do not allow confusion with similar plants and its relative, the red cotoneaster.
