Good news for bees - Cotoneaster being promoted as a pollution buster

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I's all over the news today (even the gutter press like the torygraph) Cotoneaster is the solution for roadside pollution, hopefully we shall see a lot more planted
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/pollution-plant-uk-roads-cotoneaster-b1803609.html

 

[StephenT]

Good for the bees in June and providing plenty of berries for the Redwings now

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

It's why I had loads planted as part of an environmental project some years ago - it was for the flowers and berries mostly, but a bonus to learn they also suck up pollution

 

[gmonag]

I's all over the news today (even the gutter press like the torygraph) Cotoneaster is the solution for roadside pollution, hopefully we shall see a lot more planted
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/pollution-plant-uk-roads-cotoneaster-b1803609.html

Is that the tone the moderators wish to set? Leave out the derogatory remarks please.

 

[drdrday]

I've always been tempted to plant cotoneaster because I know bees love it, and the birds enjoy the berries - I'm also hopeful it might survive the chickens However, I was put off because I thought it was classed as an invasive species. Don't know if that's all varieties, or just some?

 

[Erichalfbee]

I have a lot in the garden. It climbs up a sunny wall a treat.
I read somewhere that it was classed as an invasive plant.
Edit
Yes just found Cotoneaster horizontalis is listed as an invasive, non-native species on Schedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act in England and Wales.
Hope for Impatiens grandiflora, then

 

[masterBK]

Have been called out several times in the past to "swarms" which turn out to be just lots of bees simply foraging cotoneasters.

 

[thorn]

Is that the tone the moderators wish to set? Leave out the derogatory remarks please.

Nothing derogatory there.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I have a lot in the garden. It climbs up a sunny wall a treat.
I read somewhere that it was classed as an invasive plant.
Edit
Yes just found Cotoneaster horizontalis is listed as an invasive, non-native species on Schedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act in England and Wales.
Hope for Impatiens grandiflora, then

which is pretty weird, we had a cutting of Horizontalis from my grandmother's childhood home in about 1983, when I moved out in 1996 it had just about grown into a nice compact hedge - hardly wildly invasive, we planted loads of H as part of our pollinator plan nearly ten years ago (supplied by a reputable nurseryman)- it still hasn't spread enough to fully populate the beds it was designed to.

 

[Boston Bees]

Is that the tone the moderators wish to set? Leave out the derogatory remarks please.

I'm a Spectator reader rather than Telegraph myself, but it's a similar end of the market, and I don't find this derogatory. It's just political banter. Not directed at a member of the forum.

 

[gmonag]

Still not necessary.

 

[Ian123]

Still not necessary.

Don’t worry about it just play the game. Sometimes pictures help when explaining things General Election Results and Maps 2019

 

[madasafish]

Still not necessary.

It's the Welsh.. they hate losing

 

[beeno]

Sadly it my least favourite plant

 

[pargyle]

My Dad planted this one from cuttings about 30 years ago ... I cut three feet off the top and about a foot of it's width last winter after the birds had finished with the berries ...

The bees are all over it when it flowers and at nearly three feet thick it has loads of nests in it and the local urban fox lives under it....

 

[Apple]

My Dad planted this one from cuttings about 30 years ago ... I cut three feet off the top and about a foot of it's width last winter after the birds had finished with the berries ...

The bees are all over it when it flowers and at nearly three feet thick it has loads of nests in it and the local urban fox lives under it....

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That's good... will soak up all the pollution those gas guzzlers put out!

 

[pargyle]

That's good... will soak up all the pollution those gas guzzlers put out!

Yes ... I reckon it will be enough to compensate for the continual flights of light aircraft joy riding from Lee On Solent airport ... formerly HMS Daedalus.

 

[Moobee]

Nothing derogatory there.

Agree. Nearly as bad as the Daily Fail

 

[Colinkemp]

My Dad planted this one from cuttings about 30 years ago ... I cut three feet off the top and about a foot of it's width last winter after the birds had finished with the berries ...

The bees are all over it when it flowers and at nearly three feet thick it has loads of nests in it and the local urban fox lives under it....

View attachment 24462View attachment 24463

And it attracts large numbers of queen wasps as they emerge from hibernation.

 

[pargyle]

And it attracts large numbers of queen wasps as they emerge from hibernation.

You might be right - we had two wasp nests on the property this year - one under the floor they accessed via an air brick and one in a wooden box in the greenhouse. To be honest, the house is empty and waiting to be sold so I just left them to it and they went. I kept the nest in the wooden box and I was going to pass it on to my grandson to take it to school ... sadly, a mouse or something took a fancy to it and totally demolished it ... pity it was a beautiful creation. I didn't even get a photo of it ... doh ..