What soil does Small-leaved cotoneaster grow in?

It tolerates these soils: average garden soil, sandy, calcareous.

Is Small-leaved cotoneaster hardy?

Hardy down to -23 °C (USDA zone 6, RHS H7). It gets through winter everywhere at lower altitudes, but may not survive unprotected in a mountain garden.

Is Small-leaved cotoneaster toxic to children?

Yes, it is mildly toxic to children.

How much water does Small-leaved cotoneaster need?

Water need: medium. Drought tolerance: high.

How much does Small-leaved cotoneaster cost?

It sells for roughly €4 to €4.90 in local shops, depending on size.

Small-leaved cotoneaster

Cotoneaster microphyllus

Small-leaved cotoneaster (Cotoneaster microphyllus) is a ground cover plant. Light: full sun, part shade. Hardy down to -23 °C. Drought tolerance: high. Mildly toxic to children. Sold in local shops from about €4.

Illustration of Small-leaved cotoneaster — An illustration of the typical shape of the mature plant, not a photo.

What it's good for, and what it isn't

An evergreen ground cover shrub with tiny glossy dark green leaves on stiff, flat-spreading branches, small white flowers in late spring and red berries from autumn into winter. It suits banks, rock gardens, the top of a retaining wall or a pot, grows in sun or part shade and copes well with drought once established, but not with wet, airless soil. Nurseries mostly sell the fully prostrate 'Cochleatus' and 'Streib's Findling'; the latter is filed sometimes under this species and sometimes under Cotoneaster procumbens.

Watch out for

Susceptible to fire blight (Erwinia amylovora), though less so than many other cotoneasters; cut suddenly browning, hooked shoots back into healthy wood and keep it away from apple, pear and quince. In hot, dry spots spider mites, and less often lace bug and leaf spot, cause damage, and in hard winters it can shed part of its foliage. Dead leaves and rubbish caught in the dense branches are hard to clean out. Birds carry the berries off and the branches root where they touch the soil: the species is listed as invasive in Great Britain (planting it in the wild is an offence there), but it is not on the EU Union list or on the Hungarian, Slovak or Swiss lists. Its relative Cotoneaster horizontalis is on the Swiss and German lists and Cotoneaster dammeri on the German one, so do not plant it next to semi-natural land.

Key facts

Light: Full sun, Part shade
Water need: Medium
Care: Low
Size after 10 years: 40 cm × 1.5 m
Hardiness: down to -23 °C
Foliage: Evergreen
Flowering: J F M A M J J A S O N D May–June, white

Group	Ground cover
Light	Full sun, Part shade
Size after 10 years	40 cm × 1.5 m
Ultimate size	0.2–1 m × 1–2.5 m
Hardiness	down to -23 °C (USDA 6, RHS H7)
Soil	Average garden soil, Sandy, Calcareous
Foliage	Evergreen
Flowering	May–June, white
Water need	Medium
Drought tolerance	High
Maintenance	Low
Root aggressiveness	Low
Suckering	no
Spreading	Medium
Distance from buildings	no data
Distance from paving	no data
Litter	not typical
Planting distance	60 cm
For dogs	Mildly toxic (uncertain)
For cats	Mildly toxic (uncertain)
For children	Mildly toxic
Typical price	from about €4

Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor.

Sizes and prices available

The same plant is sold as a small pot and as a specimen several metres tall, and the price follows. Prices are rounded and for guidance only.

Size	Typical price
20+ cm	approx. €4
size not stated	approx. €4.90

Frequently asked questions

Data updated: October 13, 2026 · How our data is made

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