Plant of the Week: Cotoneaster franchetii

by Garden City Cymru October 27, 2026

Shwmae, everyone! Welcome to our very first Plant of the Week.

This week Amelia has been out at the nursery in Wenvoe, planting up a row of young Cotoneaster franchetii to extend our hedge. It was a wet, muddy Welsh day (we won't pretend otherwise!), but these are her own photos from the job, and we think the plant speaks for itself. Just as everything else is dropping its leaves, Franchet's cotoneaster is bursting with berries and really coming to life.

Planting Cotoneaster franchetii at our Welsh nursery on a wet October day

Why we love it

It's super easy to grow. It's semi-evergreen, with soft grey-green leaves that are white underneath, and it's happy in sun or shade in any well-drained soil, from clay to chalk. It copes with exposed spots, is drought resistant once settled and is fully hardy right across the UK. It also earns its keep: RHS scientists found it traps at least 20% more traffic pollution than other hedges they tested, thanks to its hairy leaves.

Young Cotoneaster franchetii plants freshly planted to extend the hedge at the Garden City Cymru nursery in Wenvoe

All the things you can do with it

Grow an informal hedge. Plant 40-60cm apart, as we've done here, for a loose, arching, wildlife-friendly screen.
Let it become a tree. Leave it be and in time it makes a graceful small multi-stemmed tree.
Feed the birds. The berries (September to January) are a winter larder for blackbirds, and the RSPB lists cotoneaster among the berries waxwings feast on.
Help the bees. In May and June it's covered in small white flowers, tinged pink, which bees love.
Bring it indoors. Cut a few berried stems for a vase, a wreath or your Christmas table. In fresh water they'll look good for around a week or two. Wear gloves, and keep them out of reach of children and pets.

Arching branch of Cotoneaster franchetii with grey-green, felted oval leaves and red berries
Cotoneaster franchetii up close: grey-green, felted leaves on arching stems, and the bright berries blackbirds and other garden birds love in winter.

Please note

The berries are for looking at, not eating: they are toxic to people and pets if swallowed. Birds also spread the seeds, so please keep it in the garden and don't plant it out in the wild.

Planting and care

Autumn is the ideal time to plant, while the soil is still warm. Dig a hole a little wider than the pot, add some peat-free compost, firm it in and water well. Water through its first summer, then it pretty much looks after itself. It rarely needs pruning; a light trim to shape is plenty, ideally once the birds have had the berries.

Close-up of bright red cotoneaster berries at the Garden City Cymru nursery in October

Perfect partner

Pair it with holly for a mixed berry hedge that feeds the birds all winter, and gives you everything you need for a home-made Christmas wreath. For even more winter colour, add the red stems of Cornus alba 'Sibirica'.

You'll find Cotoneaster franchetii in our hedging plants, grown peat-free here in Wales. Use code GARDENCITYCYMRU for £5 off orders over £30.

Until next time, happy gardening!
Garden City Cymru