They are all similar in terms of general characteristics. But they all also differ in terms of their growth and their foliage. Now get an overview of the medlar species that are suitable as ground cover.
Which types of medlar make good ground cover?
The suitable medlar species as ground cover include cotoneaster (Cotoneaster dammeri), cotoneaster (Cotoneaster dammeri var. radicans), cushion medlar, loquat (Cotoneaster horizontalis) and cotoneaster (Cotoneaster procumbens). They are hardy, versatile and offer attractive planting for slopes, beds and graves.
The cotoneaster – the ultimate ground cover
The cotoneaster or Cotoneaster dammeri is extremely popular as a ground cover for covering slopes, embankments, beds and graves. It is hardy and versatile, with the variety 'Coral Beauty' standing out. It grows up to 60 cm high, is evergreen and shines with its coral-red fruits from late summer onwards.
The loquat: An evergreen lawn replacement
It has the botanical title Cotoneaster dammeri var. radicans and, due to its carpet-like growth, can be used as a colorful lawn replacement and for greening slopes, beds and roadsides. This is how they grow:
- shallow crawling
- compact
- Growth height: up to 15 cm
- Growth width: 50 to 70 cm
- Growth rate: 5 to 15 cm per year
Thanks to the dense growth, weeds are deprived of their livelihood and regular weeding and plucking is avoided. In order to keep the growth dense across the area, between six and eight plants should be planted per square meter.
The cushion medlar: bright red in autumn
The cushion medlar is also suitable as a ground cover. It has deciduous foliage and produces few fruits compared to other medlar species. Their growth is prostrate. Your advantage: your bright wine-red autumn leaves.
The loquat: with herringbone-like shoots
Cotoneaster horizontalis, the loquat, has a characteristic fan-like, spreading habit. Its shoots are herringbone-like, well-branched and lie flat on the ground. The foliage is summer green and turns orange-red in autumn. This specimen produces an enormous amount of reddish fruit and can also be used as a low hedge due to its growth height of up to 1 m.
The cotoneaster: extremely slow
Cotoneaster procumbens:
- spreads out on the floor
- reaches an average height of 15 cm
- grows extremely slowly
- has evergreen foliage
- produces a high number of decorative fruits
Tips & Tricks
All of the ground cover plants mentioned tolerate radical pruning. They will readily sprout again if the deciduous specimens are cut in winter and the evergreen specimens in spring.
