Cotoneaster dammeri
Common name: 
Bearberry Cotoneaster
Pronunciation: 
ko-toe-nee-AS-ter DAM-er-i
Family: 
Rosaceae
Genus: 
Type: 
Broadleaf
Native to (or naturalized in) Oregon: 
No
  • Evergreen (in mild winter areas, such as western Oregon) or semi-evergreen (in colder climates), prostrate ground cover, 30-45 cm high, slender-creeping branches which root readily when in contact with soil.  Leaves alternate, simple, small (2-3 cm long), elliptic to elliptic-oblong, lustrous dark green above but a purplish tinge in late fall and winter; the underside has a waxy bloom and slightly reticulate;  petiole 5 mm long.  Fruit 6 mm diam., bright red, solitary or occasionally paired.
  • Sun to part shade.  Adaptable but prefers well-drained soil.  An easy cotoneaster to grow.  Often used on banks and slopes as a shrub border.
  • Hardy to USDA Zone 5     Native to Central China
  • Several selections available, including:
    • ‘Coral Beauty’  (‘Pink Beauty, Royal Beauty’)  -  low growing to 2 ft (0.6 m) high and spreading to 6 ft (1.8 m), glossy green leaves, fairly heavy fruiting, fruit coral red.  Possibly more than one selection under this name, Sunset Western Garden Book lists it as growing only to 6 inches (15 cm) high.  More recently ‘Coral Beauty’ is considered a selection of the hybrid, Cotoneaster x suecicus (Cotoneaster dammeri x conspicuous).
    • ‘Eichholz’  (‘Oakwood’)  -  low growing to about 1 ft (0.2 m) high, spreading to 8 ft (2.4 m), leaves small (only 12-20 mm long), suggesting that it may be a cross between C. dammeri and C. microphyllus.
    • ‘Mooncreeper’   (‘Moon Creeper’) -  very low growing, mat forming, dark green foliage.
    • ‘Lowfast’  -  mat forming, vigorous, to 6-10 inches (15-25 cm) high, glossy dark green leaves, abundant glossy red fruit.
  • Oregon State Univ. campus: small garden at the southeast entrance to Ag. & Life Sciences (ALS) south side of Milam Hall (in planter)
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    leaves and flowers

  • fruit and leaves

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