Upright Cotoneaster?

[Ann]

I have seen lots of very small trees or even standard shrubs absolutely laden with beautiful red berries this Autumn/Winter. I thought they may be Rowan trees but we did have a Rowan but it grew much taller than them. Someone suggested they could be Cotoneaster horizontalis (or similar) can you get these to grow in a small border as a standard, like a rose? We used to have one as a shrub and it was very untidy and spread everywhere along the ground, whereas I want to grow it to stand up above other plants. Thanks for any help.

[sunny-dave]

Cotoneaster Hybridus Pendulus - got one in my garden - lovely weeping standard bush, covered in berries which the redwings love in the winter.

http://www.ideasforgardens.net/palustris/COTONEASTERHYBRIDUSPENDULUS.JPG

[Ann]

That is lovely SD - especially if you get redwings in it - how lovely, where do you live? Thanks for sending me the pic, I see there are lots of different varieties, got to make sure I choose the right one for our smallish garden.

[sunny-dave]

Small village in North Warwickshire, Ann - the Redwings come in from the surrounding fields when we get a hard freeze and seem to love the Cotoneaster (and my Crab Apple too).

[Ann]

Not far from me then in Leicestershire. We had a couple of fieldfares in the snowy weather two Winters ago ............ they loved pieces of apple. They disappeared once the snow had gone.

[sunny-dave]

Redwing on my Crab Apple

http://oi46.tinypic.com/3523kpd.jpg

[Ann]

Super pic! Like a Christmas card .........

[gness]

Is that in your garden Dave?

[sunny-dave]

Yes - my garden in snow 2010/2011 :)

[Ann]

Fieldfares and redwings look very similar don't they?

[sunny-dave]

Yes - I always wind up looking in my bird-guide ...

[rowanwitch]

redwings don't have grey heads.... thats an easy one... great pic dave