Cotoneaster I think..

[Kayleigh]

I have what looks like a cotoneaster with large leaves..I think its this one..Can anyone ID it for me.

I cut it down to about 3ft and I have discovered the birds love it..Will it grow to tree size if I let it grow or have I ruined it. It grows very long arching branches how do I make it more compact..
Google Image Result for http://www.cuyamaca.net/OH170/Plant_TNails/Cotoneaster_lacteus_Fruit_11-8-99_15.jpg

[Geoff F]

There are so many Contoeasters, deciduous, evergreen and some which are in between depending on how hard the winters are. Is yours an evergreen with slightly softer leaves? I prune most of mine hard every winter and they thrive on it. But the evergreen versions need a bit more care in pruning. The usual recommendation is to prune every third branch annually if you want to keep them smaller.Yours, if it is the one I think, grows to around 10ft but some varieties are larger.

If you still have some branches below where you have cut it should recover. If you just have a bare stem it's a case of wait and see, but most varieties are hard to kill.

[galanthus]

[quote=Kayleigh;236000]I have what looks like a cotoneaster with large leaves..I think its this one..Can anyone ID it for me.

I cut it down to about 3ft and I have discovered the birds love it..Will it grow to tree size if I let it grow or have I ruined it. It grows very long arching branches how do I make it more compact..
QUOTE]

I have one of those. It's very responsive to pruning and you may still make a tree of it if careful, although the branches are long they do seem to have lots of berries. I've allowed mine to grow around a metre high with one trunk, then allowed it to splay, you're right the birds love it.

[Kayleigh]

I think it is supposed to be evergreen but all the leaves have fell off ..But there are buds all the way up on old branches.. Where I cut it there are new branches coming from the cut stems and some from the bottom..hew.. I thought Id killed it..I looks the same as the pic but mine can't be evergreen if the leaves have fell off....Unless i have stressed it

[galanthus]

Originally Posted by Kayleigh

I think it is supposed to be evergreen but all the leaves have fell off ..But there are buds all the way up on old branches.. Where I cut it there are new branches coming from the cut stems and some from the bottom..hew.. I thought Id killed it..I looks the same as the pic but mine can't be evergreen if the leaves have fell off....Unless i have stressed it

Probably more, semi-evergreen. Mine hs lost lots of leaves but retains a few.