Dummer's cotoneaster: photos, planting and care

For everyone who plans to create a lawn at their site or in front of the house, and is going to buy grass seeds, we inform that she has a spectacular alternative - a plant that is unique in many respects to the plant Dummer's cotoneaster. Undoubtedly, emerald green grass is beautiful, but somehow ordinary and troublesome, because it does not turn yellow in the heat, it needs to be watered every day, but to not spoil the appearance of the lawn inappropriately sprouting ears, regularly mow. Dummer's cotoneaster does not require such hassle. Once planted, he will delight his master with chic greens for many years. In addition, it can be used not only for lawns, but also for creating evergreen living curbs, hedges, as cover natural material, covering all unattractive places on the site. We suggest you get acquainted with the peculiarities of cultivation, care, reproduction of this amazing plant, as well as some of its varieties.

Botanical description

Dummer's cotone belongs to the rose-colored and belongs to the family of pink, that is, it is a relative of all familiar apple trees, raspberries, strawberries. It has many varieties, some of which are very tiny, not higher than 7-10 cm, others slightly higher, up to 60-90, the third almost giants growing to 1.5 meters. The root system of all Dummmer coteries is branched, consisting of dozens of thin rootlets. Leaflets are not large, up to 2, less than 2.5 cm in length, either egg-shaped with absolutely even edges, or having a small notch and a clear vein at the apex dividing the leaf in half. The color of the leaves in summer is rich green, and in the autumn of all shades of crimson. Very beautifully flowers Dummer's cotoneaster. The photo clearly shows it. Flowering period is in May-June. Its small (up to one centimeter in diameter), but the fragrant flowers have five petals of white or pinkish color and a lot of stamens that are crowned with purple anthers. Flowers are opened in the sinuses of leaflets and can grow alone or 2-3. But the most spectacular in the cotoneaster fruit, resembling a generously scattered coral beads up to 7 mm in diameter. They stay on the branches until spring.

Features of the view

Dummer's cotoneum has come to Europe from the central regions of China, where its wild thickets effectively interlace stone cliffs, spread along the mountain slopes and hills, rising above sea level up to a height of 4 km. In European gardens it has been cultivated since the beginning of the last century. For such a long period, many varieties were hatched that are suitable for cultivation in the middle belt of Russia and its northern regions. Cotoneaster can be called one of the most non-controversial decorative cultures. The soil is suitable for almost any, it does not require watering, it is stable to frost and drought, the contamination of the atmosphere does not affect its viability, but lives for about 50 years.

Use of Dummer's cousin in landscape design

To give a beautiful view to your private plot this wonderful plant can be used in different ways, depending on the variety. For example, the Dummera Major dwarf cousin ideal as a ground cover. It grows with a magnificent carpet, which is convenient to decorate the uncovered plots of land, compost pits, places that do not lend themselves to other types of gardening. Also, this and other dwarf varieties are great for decorating slopes, rockeries and rock gardens, and climbing the stone walls, they can give an original look to any buildings.

Low-grown varieties, for example, Dummer's cousin Eicholz, whose height can reach one meter, are best suited to create vibrant colorful borders and hedges. They are also planted as a central element in plant compositions.

Seed propagation features

Effective and original fruits, which from the beginning of September and until the spring pleases cousin Dummer. The photo shows how they look in the winter on the snow. Each berry can have 4 or 5 seeds. Reproduction of this kind of cotoneaster with seeds is not the best option, but it is practiced quite often. It is believed that this is how the plant is best able to adapt to the conditions of each site. The main difficulty faced by gardeners is low, only 20% germination of seeds. Another of their features is the uneven stratification. That is, some seeds sown in the fall can spring next spring, while others will "sleep" in the ground for another year. Therefore, where the plant was sown, but the cotoneaster did not go, they do not plant anything else for another year.

How to sow seeds

The process of reproduction of the Dummer cotoneaster with seeds is as follows: in the autumn, ripe berries are collected, the seeds are washed from the pulp and soaked in cold water. After about 30 minutes all the substandard will come up, and at the bottom there will be seeds that can give life to new plants. Then you can go in two ways:

1. Collect the annual seeds, put them in boxes with garden soil, sand and peat (1: 1: 1) and leave at 0-7 ° C for up to 9 months. The soil must be slightly moist at all times. Emerged shoots cover from drafts and direct sun, are moderately and very carefully watered. Seedlings with 3-4 leaves are planted in open ground at the beginning of autumn or in spring.

2. In autumn, the seeds are separated from the pulp, washed and sowed immediately into the open ground to a depth of 4 cm, watered, make them a shelter like a little fellow to protect from the bright sun. Seedlings can appear for 2 years from the moment of sowing.

Reproduction is vegetative

Dummer's cousin, planted even with a single specimen, is soon able to occupy a section of a radius of several meters. This plant does not just grow, it multiplies itself, because the twigs touching the ground, are perfectly rooted. Such "talents" are mostly manifested by dwarf varieties, for example, Major, Cardinal. Medium-sized varieties, such as the Dummer's cousin Coral Beauty, Stockholm, are also able to take root independently, but it is more convenient to propagate them by cuttings. Suitable young green or already lignified, but necessarily healthy and powerful enough shoots. Green stalks are harvested in the middle of summer, cutting them so long that at least 2 internodes remain. For greater effectiveness, the ready-made petioles are placed in the rooting agent (according to the instructions) and planted in daughters (not film). The soil for them should consist of humus, garden soil and sand. On top of pouring more sand a layer of about 5-7 cm, moisturize. The petioles are placed at an angle in the sand, but so that their ends touch the ground. When they are well rooted, they are transplanted into the garden.

If you can not prepare green cuttings, you can try with lignified. To do this, at the end of autumn or at the beginning of winter cut shoots, put them in the sand and lower them into the basement. In the spring shoots about 25-30 cm long are prepared from shoots. The further process is the same as with summer cuttings.

Landing

Almost does not cause trouble to its owners Dizemer's cousin. Planting and caring for him are very simple. As already noted above, it can be planted on any soils in places where other plants are difficult. But still, so that the cotoneaster grows lush and beautiful, it is desirable to observe several requirements. So, he likes the sun, but he feels well in the penumbra. The optimal time to land in the open ground - the beginning of spring, until the buds are blossomed, or the second half of autumn to frost. If you plan to create a hedge from the cotyperm , preferably in the land where it will decorate the garden, drive in pegs and pull the string, and already along it you will dig a groove with a depth of 70 and a width of 50 cm. Place the bushes in it at a distance of 35-45 cm one From another, fill it with soil, which must be compacted and watered. Despite the fact that pomegranates are not demanding on soils, it is better that in the landing holes there is a mixture of sand of river large, soddy land and peat.

Care

Dummer's cotoneaster is a real treasure for those who do not like to fuss with fastidious green pets or are very tight in time, because the whole care of this plant is in pruning of sick and weak shoots in early spring and watering on especially hot days, 3 times a month. If necessary, produce an artistic haircut of the cotoneaster's bush, for example, when they create hedges. You can also feed the plant to make it particularly beautiful, lush and longer bloom. For fertilizing suitable compost and complex fertilizers, which are introduced into the soil in the spring. Some gardeners are advised to make fertilizers in the summer, using for this organics - bird droppings or slurry. The cotoneaster grows so thick a carpet that it does not leave a chance to break through to the weeds. Therefore, weeding, as a rule, is not required.

Pests and diseases

In general, Dummer's cotoneaster is almost not sick, but sometimes it can be affected by fusariosis. In such cases, the plants are treated with fungicides, and if the lesion is too strong, the diseased bushes are destroyed. Of pests for the cotoneaster are dangerous apple aphids, scutellum, plum spindle, cotoneous mites. The diseased plant becomes less attractive, the leaves frown, turn yellow, fall off. To control pests use insecticides.

Cigarette Dummera Coral Beauty

This is one of the most popular varieties. They withdrew it in 1967 in the Netherlands. Outwardly it is a lush shrub up to 60 cm high with thin, dewdrops that creep along the ground, capable of perfectly rooted. The variety Coral Beauty is unusually decorative. In the summer, his elliptical leaves with a clear median vein are saturated green. By the middle of September they become burgundy, red-violet, purple. Blossoms this variety in the middle of spring. Its flowers thickly cover the branches, creating an unusually picturesque fragrant carpet. The variety is frost-resistant, suitable for cultivation in the central part of Russia.

Dummer Major's Cotoneum

This is one of the shortest varieties. The height of its bushes rarely reaches 15 cm, more often it rises above the ground by only 7-10 cm. This crumb also has small, oval leaves that reach 1-2 cm in length. In the summer they are beautiful green, in autumn they turn bright orange and purple . The flowers of the Major's cotette are white, they bloom in late spring and last until the middle of June. The berries are light red. This variety grows on any soil, including sandy and stony, frost-resistant, not particularly demanding on moisture. He needs watering only in extreme heat.

Ehichholz cotoneaster

This is one of the relatively tall varieties, the bushes of which are stretched to a height of 1 meter. But its branches can also spread along the earth. Dummer's cotone Eichholz is perfect for alpine slides and rock gardens, creating various compositions, hedges. Leaflets are small, saturated in summer in the summer, red and orange in autumn. The flowers are located in the axils of the leaves and grow one by one. They blossom in the second half of spring. The fruits of the Eicolt cot are slightly oblong, orange and red. This variety likes sunny areas, it is undemanding to moisture, it tolerates a polluted atmosphere calmly, but in severe winters requires easy harboring with lapnik.

Dammera cotoneaster type Skogholm

It is characterized by rapid growth of shoots. If the other members of the species have an annual growth of no more than 10-15 cm, and in some cases only 7 cm, then Skogholm's cousin Dummer's cousin pleases his hosts with a gain of up to 1 meter during the growing season. It differs from its "fellow" and it's higher growth. The bushes of this variety can reach a height of up to 1.5 meters. However, its shoots also manage to spread along the ground and quickly form lush carpets. Leaflets Cotylol cotoneaster small, up to 2 cm in length, evergreen, white flowers, blossom in late spring, the fruits are very spectacular, purplish red. This variety is one of the few shrubs that makes a shadow. To the soil, he, like other cotoneaster, is undemanding, perfectly tolerates the winters of the Moscow region.