Re: cotoneaster
- Subject: Re: cotoneaster
- From: T* a* M* R*
- Date: Fri, 26 Apr 2002 17:38:15 +1200
kgkg1010@aol.com wrote:
>
> Heidi Gildemeister's book states that Cotoneaster is a host to several pests
> and diseases. Has anyone had problems with cotoneaster? Which pests and
> diseases is it a host to?
> Kathleen
> Redding, CA - north end of the hot dry Sacramento Valley
Hi
I should say Cotoneasters are on the whole a tough and easily-pleased
group. I have never seen any pests attack them here, and the only
disease I can recall observing is Fireblight. This only seems to attack
a few species as everybody agrees, but the books unfortunately seem very
coy about naming the culprits and the only actual name I have managed to
come up with for sure is C salicifolius (from a very ancient and very
out-of-date checklist), but I do recall seeing this disease occasionally
myself in neighbourhood gardens on a large evergreen species of no
especial garden merit, possibly C. pannosus. As far as I know it is
relatively mild on this host (at least our local strain is) and not too
difficult to keep in check by pruning, but it is of course a possible
source of infection for the more precious apples and pears in the
vicinity and for that reason people with infected bushes here have been
encouraged to root them out.
It fortunately only bothers a very few types of Cotoneaster avoiding
most of the really attractive small-leaved kinds and a good number of
the more attractive large-leaved ones too.
If you live in an area where fireblight is a nuisence, I think it would
be wise to check your plants farly regularly for dieback, but it is
highly likely I should say it won't give you any trouble.
Moira
Tony & Moira Ryan
Wainuiomata - at the Southern tip of North Island, NZ,
Lat 41°15'S, Long 174°58'E (Antipodes of Spain/Southern France)
