#cotoneaster

[jillraggett]

Plant of the Day

Sunday 7 December 2025

This is a great use of the deciduous shrub Cotoneaster horizontalis (wall cotoneaster, rock spray, wall spray, herringbone cotoneaster) in this pathway as the repetition holds this planting together. The low-growing, spreading branches have a distinctive, flat, herringbone pattern. The pink-tinged white flowers in late spring are popular with pollinators and are followed by red berries which are winter food for the birds.

Jill Raggett

[adventuresofalgy]

Not only was September proving to be constantly wet and windy, just like the months that had preceded it, but in the wild west Highlands of Scotland the days were now getting shorter very rapidly, and the air, which had never been very warm, was getting noticeably colder. Although the autumn had scarcely begun, the temperature had already dipped into single figures (celsius) at times, and even in the middle of the day there was a freshness which had been absent since the spring.

But Algy's feathers were warm and fluffy, so unlike his human friends he was not disturbed by the falling temperatures; in fact, he was pleased that he could now forget the dismal summer just past, and look forward to a more normal pattern of seasons ahead.

And as the garden was full of ripe autumn berries, he decided to indulge himself a wee bit while he had the chance, for he knew that once the migrating birds arrived from over the sea, they would completely clear the fruit in a matter of days.

Settling contentedly among the branches of a small cotoneaster bush, Algy looked at the scarlet berries around him and, recalling a happy wee autumn poem, he wondered what he could find to decorate himself for the new season:

The morns are meeker than they were, The nuts are getting brown; The berry's cheek is plumper, The rose is out of town. The maple wears a gayer scarf, The field a scarlet gown. Lest I should be old-fashioned, I'll put a trinket on.

[Algy is thinking of the poem Autumn by the 19th century American poet Emily Dickinson.]

[riverwindphotography]

Rubies of October

(c) riverwindphotography, October 2024

[rinibayphoto]

[dat-aster]

Cotoneaster coriaceus - Parney Cotoneaster

[christianfrederiksen]

Cotoneaster Bud, 2025 Acrylic on wood panel 7 x 5 in. (DM for purchase)

This kind of cotoneaster, often in the form of hedges, is a common sight in Calgary. I like how you can squeeze the flowers to get a tiny drink of nectar.

[flowerishness]

Cotoneaster divaricatus (spreading cotoneaster) and Bombus ternarius (orange-belted bumblebee) 

The cotoneaster has very small flowers but the bumblebees love it and they're lined up around the block. This plant is vine-like so we've trained ours to grow along one side of the deck. It flowers in May/June and in the fall it's red berries are much appreciated by the local birdlife.

I've always pronounced the name of this plant "kot-own-ee-aster" but there are at least six different pronunciations and whole internet forums are dedicated to this Hot Button issue. I kid you not!

[dansnaturepictures]

Wrinkled club fungi and sky with sunrays coming down on a walk from Cadman's Pool in the New Forest today and cotoneaster berries and rose hips and mossy rose gall at Lakeside Country Park yesterday.

It was breathtaking to see Cormorant circling a few times and Buzzard fly right over my head at Lakeside and enjoy a glorious display of two circling enigmatic Ravens overhead in the New Forest today. Goldcrest was my bird of the weekend overall getting intimate and cheerful views of these birds at both. Other highlights at Lakeside were Redwing, Sparrowhawk and green alkanet on a powerful late morning/early afternoon walk of dew covered spider webs and more as mist lifted with Fieldfare, Wren and sulphur tuft also enjoyed in the New Forest.

Two days in one post this weekend as I had another night out at the theatre last night going to 'The Pantomime Adventures of Peter Pan' at the Mayflower in Southampton starring Alexandra Burke, Dr Ranj Singh and Max Fulham and others who all made it a fantastic show of singing, dancing and comedy. Going to the pantomime here is a tradition for us around Christmas and this was a memorable one which it was great to see early in the run on the opening night. A precious and joyous weekend.