The Red-Berried Ground Cover To Plant For A Blanket Of Fall Color In Your Yard

Rockspray cotoneaster (Cotoneaster horizontalis) is an absolutely stunning ground cover choice for fall, with red berries and leaves that turn reddish-purple as autumn rolls in. However, this shrub comes with a warning: It is the red berry shrub you might not want in your garden if you have pets or children, because it can be toxic to pets and mildly toxic to people (ingestion may result in an upset stomach). Additionally, spreading is a concern in some areas. In fact, some people think planting this beautiful berry bush is a big mistake, but you can reduce the spread by pulling seedlings as they pop up.

Rockspray cotoneaster contributes nicely in the landscape by slowly spreading horizontally and climbing rock walls, fences, and trellises. The plant grows to 2 to 3 feet tall and shows off its unique fishbone-patterned branches year-round, small pink or white flowers that attract bees in the spring, and brilliant red berries in the fall and into winter. Rockspray cotoneaster is also among the beautiful ground covers that are great for preventing soil erosion.

Ready to grow rockspray cotoneaster as a fabulous fall accent? Since seeds need to be both scarified and stratified, propagation is easier using cuttings. Well-drained soil that is loose, moist, and loamy provides the best growing medium for rockspray cotoneaster, but the plant can also tolerate dry and poor soils. The shrub likes full sun to partial shade. Hot temperatures are a challenge for rockspray cotoneaster, and it is cold-hardy in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 7. It is drought-resistant after it has been established.

Rockspray cotoneaster is subject to relatively few pest and disease issues. Fireblight, spider mites, leaf spots, canker, cotoneaster webworm, and lacebug can afflict the plant, but these are less likely when the plant is started under ideal conditions. One reason for concern about spreading is that birds eat the plentiful red berries and eliminate seeds far and wide. Bottom line: Rockspray cotoneaster is a shrub not without issues but one that will make a huge splash in your fall garden if you proceed with caution.