Bearberry Cotoneaster, semi-evergreen Groundcover Of The Day

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Type Groundcover, woody plant
Hardy range 5B to 8B
Height 12" to 24" / 30cm to 60cm
Spread 36" to 5' / 90cm to 1.60m
Growth rate Slow
Form Prostrate and spreading or horizontal
Exposure Partial shade or partial sun to full sun
Persistence Evergreen and semi-evergreen

Bloom Color White
Bloom Time Spring

Environment
This plant tolerates drought.
This plant will grow in very dry soil.
Suitable soil is well-drained/loamy, sandy or clay.
The pH preference is an acidic to alkaline (less than 6.8 to more than 7.7) soil.

Leaf Color Green
Fall Color Purple and red
This plant has attractive fall colors.

Culture Notes
Makes a fabulous ground cover quickly for stabilizing banks and creating a "floor" in a landscape. Like the "Blue Rug" of the cotoneaster world but may not hold up in the long run. It may lack vigor once established. This plant is considered mostly allergy free and causes little or no allergy problems in most people.

Planting and establishing shrubs

The most common cause of young plant failure is planting too deep. Plant the root ball no deeper than it was in the nursery. In most instances, the root flare zone (point where the top-most root in the root ball originates from the trunk) should be located just above the landscape soil surface. Sometimes plants come from the nursery with soil over the root flare. If there is soil over this area, scrape it off. The planting hole should be at least twice the width of the root ball, preferably wider. In all but exceptional circumstances where the soil is very poor, there is no need to incorporate anything into the backfill soil except the loosened soil that came out of the planting hole. Never place ANY soil over the root ball. If a row or grouping of plants is to be installed, excavating or loosening the soil in the entire bed and incorporating organic matter enhances root growth and establishment rate.

Weed suppression during establishment is essential. Apply a 3-inch thick layer of mulch around the plant to help control weed growth. Keep it at least 10 inches from the trunk. If you apply it over the root ball, apply only a one or two inch layer. This allows rainwater and air to easily enter the root ball and keeps the trunk dry. Placing mulch against the trunk or applying too thick a layer above the root ball can kill the plant by oxygen starvation, death of bark, stem and root diseases, prevention of hardening off for winter, vole and other rodent damage to the trunk, keeping soil too wet, or repelling water. Regular irrigation through the first growing season after planting encourages rapid root growth, which is essential for quick plant establishment.

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