The cotoneaster is known as a ground cover and finds a place in many gardens. But besides her there are numerous other medlar species. All have their merits and serve different purposes. Here is a brief overview.
The Cotoneaster Species
The cotoneaster is not really a medlar. It got its name due to the resemblance of its fruit to the real medlar. There are numerous species and cultivars among the cotoneasters.
While the creeping medlars Cotoneaster dammeri and Cotoneaster horizontalis (varieties are e.g. 'Parkcarpet' and 'Autumn Fire') grow up to 60 cm high, the cushion medlar reaches a height of 25 cm as a ground cover. The rock medlar, wintergreen shrub medlar, willow-leaved hanging medlar, shrub medlar and hanging medlar (e.g. 'Cornubia' and 'Pendulus') are ideal as solitaires.
Here are the cotoneaster species that are suitable as hedge shrubs:
- Fan medlar (up to 1.50 m high)
- shrub medlar (up to 3 m high)
- Large-leaved medlar (up to 4 m high)
- Cotoneaster (up to 3 m high)
- Common shrub (up to 3 m high)
- Medlar (up to 2 m high)
- Tall medlar (up to 3 m high)
The Mespilus species
In the Mespilus genus, Mespilus germanica stands out. This plant is considered a 'true' medlar. There are different types of her:
- Mespilus germanica var gigantea (with very large fruits)
- Mespilus germanica var abortiva (fruits without seeds)
- Mespilus germanica var argenteo-variegata (with white variegated leaves)
- Mespilus germanica var aureo-variegata (with yellow variegated leaves)
The first two types include the following proven varieties that are excellent for growing for harvesting the fruit:
- 'Early Medlar' (early maturing)
- 'Seedless' (without seeds)
- 'Dutch Medlar' (most commonly planted, large fruits, high yields, good taste)
- 'Medlar'/'Royal' (high-yielding, medium-sized, good taste)
- 'Hungarian' (weaker growth)
tips and tricks
The Mespilus germanica is extremely undemanding in terms of location and care. She usually gets by on her own after a short while. In addition, the large fruits are a tasty treat rich in vital substances in autumn and winter.