Creeping Cotton Easter is a deciduous shrub in the Rose family. It is native to Asia and prefers full sun to partial shade in moist but well-drained loamy soils. This low growing groundcover has a dense prostrate habit. It is an easy to grow low maintenance plant that is tolerant of poor soils, erosion, drought, pollution, deer and rabbit browsing. Plant it in a rock garden, or cascading over a rock wall. It looks excellent mass planted to cover a slope or area prone to erosion. Creeping Cotton Easter does not perform well when grown in hot summer climates, and they can be difficult to grow in locations south of zone 7. The showy red berries emerge after the flowers have bloomed. They will ripen to a brilliant red in late summer into fall, and will continue to appear into winter. Makes a great addition to a winter garden. Spreading horizontally, the stems can root where contact is made with the soil. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious problems. Mites can be an issue under hot and dry conditions. It will sometimes experience issues with fire blight, leaf spots, lace bug, canker and contoneaster web worm. Dense foliage close to the ground can become a maintenance issue as leaves drop and are difficult to remove. Eating the fruits can cause mild stomach upset.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Fills a similar nicheCornus alba 'Argenteo-marginata'Cotoneaster horizontalisSpiraea japonica Limemound® 'Monhub'
Full plant profile
Growing Conditions
Plant type
Ground Cover; Shrub
Life cycle
Woody
USDA zones
4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
12 inches-3 feet; 3 feet-6 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 0 in. | Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.