How to grow cotoneaster from seed

The much appreciated Cotoneasters in gardening are shrubs, small trees or creeping plants. In this guide we will show you step by step how to grow cotoneaster from seed, that is, germinate the seeds that are in its colorful berries.

Most of them do well in full sun but tolerate partial shade.
They provide interest through their summer flowers, but they are famous for their bright, colorful berries that remain on the plant from autumn to winter. Many species of cotoneaster also have very beautiful foliage in autumn.

Cotoneaster flowers are a food source for insects and their berries for birds in autumn and winter. Do not confuse cotoneaster with firethorn (pyracantha) equally famous for its berries.

Cotoneasters grow easily from cuttings (the most popular method for propagating them) but also from seeds.
The seeds are inside the berries and generally do not need stratification or special care and should be sown as soon as possible.
Let’s see in this guide how Mother Nature makes these seeds germinate easily without much dedication from the gardener.

I picked the berries from some bushes nearby around Christmas time. With the holiday festivities I forgot about the plastic bag of berries for a few weeks.

Cotoneaster red berries

When I opened it, I saw that there were already seeds germinating.

Cotoneaster seed germinating from the berry

So I decided to put them in a pot with soil. I followed the basic principles of seed germination.
I filled a plastic pot with soil and literally spread the berries on top. Then I lightly covered the seeds and watered.

Sowing cotoneaster berries

I placed the pot outdoors, in the middle of other larger tree pots to have some protection from the elements. And, once again, I forgot about these seeds.

Curious about the results? See next page, but don’t be scared! 🙂