Related to the popular hawthorn hedge, cotoneaster is a genus of the Rosaceae family with between 70 and 300 different species found primarily in Asia, Europe and North Africa. Often, the decorative red berries that are produced by the cotoneaster species are highly attractive to certain birds such as thrushes and blackbirds.
With many cotoneaster hedging plants exhibiting evergreen features, they can range from tall shrubs to ground-hugging plants that are purposefully grown to suppress unwanted growth (weeds). Depending on the type of cotoneaster hedge you choose, it is possible to cultivate the plant in a number of garden locations, from against fencing to stand-alone hedge formations.
The flowers produced by the hedge also provide an additional touch of colour to your garden during the spring and summer months, attracting a variety of wildlife species including bees and butterflies.
At Hopes Grove Nurseries, we supply:
Cotoneaster Franchetii. A tough hedging species, cotoneaster franchetii or Franchet’s cotoneaster, is ideal for growth in all areas of the UK in both exposed and sheltered conditions. Relatively unfussy about soil type, it can perform well in sand, clay, loam and chalky conditions. Originally from Central Asia, it boasts ovate grey-green foliage and bright orange fruits, making it an attractive addition to any landscape.
Cotoneaster Lacteus. Producers of breathtaking white flowers during June, cotoneaster lacteus is an evergreen green shrub that is somewhat more bushy than the franchetii species. Also ideal for growth all over the UK, the late cotoneaster bears oval leaves up to 6cm in length which are hairy white underneath. Cotoneaster Lacteus is an important source for birds, so would suit plantation in a wildlife garden.
Cotoneaster Simonsii. A semi-evergreen upright cotoneaster hedging species producing characteristic glossy dark green leaves, cotoneaster simonsii or himalyan cotoneaster is another plant that is ideal for growth in both exposed or sheltered locations. During autumn, the plant bears large berries in attractive shades of red and orange which have a low level of toxicity.
Growth Rate for Cotoneaster Hedge Plants
A hedge with a relatively average growth rate, you can expect cotoneaster plants to grow 20-40cm in a year. Their height can be maintained at 1-2m with infrequent pruning. It is recommended that the cotoneaster lacteus and franchetii species should be lightly trimmed after their berries have fallen. All three species have a maximum height and spread of 2.5 to 4m.
Care for your Cotoneaster Hedging
Most evergreen hedges once established, they require little to no maintenance for the duration of the year. However, frequent removal of any unhealthy, diseased, damaged or dead shoots is encouraged. When pruning evergreen or semi-evergreen cotoneaster plants, be aware that pruning too early in the year can result in frost damage occurring to the new shoots.
Cotoneaster hedging may be prone to damage from pests and diseases, including aphids, brown scale and on occasion, fireblight.
Please contact our team for more advice on pest and disease control if you are new to hedge maintenance.
Cotoneaster Hedge Planting Density
The Hopes Grove Nurseries cotoneaster hedges can be purchased at varying stages of growth and at different heights. On average, it is recommended that all of our hedges are planted at 3-4 plants per metre and not more to avoid crowding. Available in heights ranging from 2-3ft in height, you can plant these hedges in either full or partial shade, in soils composed of chalk, loam, sand or clay.
Ensure that the soil is well drained as all three species struggle to survive in waterlogged or poor drainage sites.
Are you a gardening beginner? Take a look at our page on How To Plant A Hedge for general advice on hedge planting.
Why Choose Hopes Grove Nurseries?
When looking for hedges in garden centres, you aren’t always guaranteed to find a selection of plants that are premium quality and ideal for your purposes. We at Hopes Grove Nurseries are dedicated growers of a vast variety of hedge species that can be sent directly to your doorstep for your convenience.
Between our team of 16, each plant is grown to prime condition before being delivered in a range of sizes, in potted, bare root and rootball options. With decades of gardening expertise, you will be hard pushed to find a service like the one we offer at Hopes Grove Nurseries.
If you have any queries about our cotoneaster hedge plants or to find out more about proper care and maintenance, get in touch today.
Delivery leadtimes update – April 2025
Spring is our busiest time of year and we are working through orders as fast as we can to get your plants delivered. To give you an accurate idea of when your order will arrive, these are the current leadtimes (delivery is 1-2 days after despatch):
– Orders containing only bare roots and root balls – despatch within 3 working days.
– All orders containing potted plants – despatch within 14 working days.
Delivery is free for most orders above our free delivery thresholds, these are displayed above our prices in the product listings and summarized below. If you don’t need that many plants it’s not a problem, you can choose to pay our delivery charge and only order what you need.
Delivery is convenient – no signature is required so you don’t need to wait in, we will leave your parcel in the safe place that you nominate.
Delivery is fast – because we pick orders daily from our own growing beds your plants only travel the small hop to our packing shed before being sent to you, they are usually delivered within 5-7 working days.
Delivery is reliable – we have been selling and delivering Hedging Plants to our customers nationwide since 1992. We have a lot of experience in packing them safely and only use tried and tested delivery partners.
Smaller Plants (Parcel Delivery)
| Location | Order Value | Price |
| UK Mainland excluding Highlands | Up to £90 | £15.00 |
| UK Mainland excluding Highlands | Over £90 | Free |
| Scottish Highlands and Isle of Wight | All orders | £24.00 |
Heavy Plants (Pallet Delivery)
| Location | Order Value | Price |
| UK Mainland excluding Highlands | Up to £420 | £72.00 |
| UK Mainland excluding Highlands | Over £420 | Free |
| Scottish Highlands and Isle of Wight | All orders | £72.00 |
Tall Plants 2.5m+ (Specialist Delivery)
| Location | Order Value | Price |
| UK Mainland excluding Highlands | Under £1800 | Please call us |
| UK Mainland excluding Highlands | Over £1800 | Free |
| Scottish Highlands and Isle of Wight | All orders | Not available |
Exceptions to our delivery charges are Scottish Highland and Isle of Wight delivery areas where we need to charge a little extra to cover the cost of deliveries to these outlying areas. We don’t currently delivery to other offshore addresses including Northern Ireland and Southern Ireland.
Tall plants over 2.5 metres have to be delivered by our own specialised transport, our delivery area is limited to mainland England and Wales only.
Please note there is a minimum order value of £50 for orders containing smaller plants and £250 for orders containing heavier plants
Complete delivery information can be viewed on our Delivery Information page
