The Right Place
Creeping Cotoneasters grow well in USDA Zones 5 through 8, which includes much of the U.S. except areas where winter temperatures drop below -10 to -20° F and the warmest regions such as Florida and southern Texas.
Creeping Cotoneasters grow best in full sun. Although not particular about soil, they do need good drainage, so avoid planting where soil is saturated for long periods. These plants tolerate high pH soils very well.
Planting Nursery Stock
Creeping Cotoneasters may be planted in the spring, but the best time to plant them is in the fall. Dig the planting hole twice as wide and as deep as the rootball. Remove the plant from its container and pull apart or cut any roots that are densely matted. Place the shrub in the hole making certain that the top of the rootball is at, and not below, ground level. Backfill the hole with soil to the level of the surrounding ground and water thoroughly to provide good soil-to-root contact. Allow an open space the size of a 3-foot-diameter circle for each plant or space even closer for quicker coverage, as these plants are slow growing.
