My Deer Garden

Plant record · Shrub

Is Willowleaf Cotoneaster deer resistant?

Cotoneaster salicifolius

Narrow leaves and white flowers of willowleaf cotoneaster
Photo by Sten Porse, CC BY-SA 3.0. Via Wikimedia Commons.
Damage step 2 of 4 · Seldom Severely Damaged

Mostly. Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.

Type
Shrub
Hardiness
Zones 6–8
Light
Full sun
Height
24–36 in
Bloom
Spring
Maintenance
Low

Damage steps follow a published university field scale. How plants are rated.

About Willowleaf Cotoneaster

Narrow willow-like evergreen leaves and heavy red fruit on arching branches, larger than most garden cotoneasters. Fireblight is the recurring problem across the genus. It seeds into wild land in the Pacific Northwest.

Soil and care

Soil pH
6 to 7.5
Drainage
Well drained
Water
Low
Spacing
71 to 118 in apart
Growth rate
Fast
Maintenance
Low

Tolerances and uses

Evergreen

Similar to Willowleaf Cotoneaster

Other shrubs with the same deer rating.

Where Willowleaf Cotoneaster grows

Hardy across 45 states on zone range alone. Mountain and coastal areas sit outside the ranges used here, so check your own zone before ordering. Select any state, including one it will not grow in, for what is resistant there.

Alabama — hardy here. Zones 7 to 9.Alaska — hardy here. Zones 1 to 8.Arizona — hardy here. Zones 5 to 10.Arkansas — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.California — hardy here. Zones 7 to 10.Colorado — hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.Connecticut — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Delaware — hardy here. Zones 7 to 7.District of Columbia — hardy here. Zones 7 to 8.Florida — hardy here. Zones 8 to 11.Georgia — hardy here. Zones 7 to 9.Hawaii — not hardy here. Zones 9 to 12.Idaho — hardy here. Zones 3 to 7.Illinois — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Indiana — hardy here. Zones 5 to 6.Iowa — hardy here. Zones 4 to 6.Kansas — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Kentucky — hardy here. Zones 6 to 7.Louisiana — hardy here. Zones 8 to 10.Maine — hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.Maryland — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.Massachusetts — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Michigan — hardy here. Zones 4 to 6.Minnesota — not hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Mississippi — hardy here. Zones 7 to 9.Missouri — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Montana — hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.Nebraska — hardy here. Zones 4 to 6.Nevada — hardy here. Zones 4 to 9.New Hampshire — hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.New Jersey — hardy here. Zones 6 to 7.New Mexico — hardy here. Zones 4 to 9.New York — hardy here. Zones 4 to 7.North Carolina — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.North Dakota — not hardy here. Zones 3 to 4.Ohio — hardy here. Zones 5 to 6.Oklahoma — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.Oregon — hardy here. Zones 6 to 9.Pennsylvania — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Rhode Island — hardy here. Zones 6 to 7.South Carolina — hardy here. Zones 7 to 9.South Dakota — not hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Tennessee — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.Texas — hardy here. Zones 6 to 9.Utah — hardy here. Zones 4 to 9.Vermont — not hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Virginia — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.Washington — hardy here. Zones 5 to 8.West Virginia — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Wisconsin — not hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Wyoming — hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.
Hardy on zone rangeNot hardy — still linked
Choose a state from the listeasier on a phone

Common questions about Willowleaf Cotoneaster

Is Willowleaf Cotoneaster deer resistant?
Willowleaf Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster salicifolius) is rated Seldom Severely Damaged, step 2 of 4 on the damage scale this site uses. Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.
What hardiness zones does Willowleaf Cotoneaster grow in?
Willowleaf Cotoneaster is hardy in USDA zones 6 to 8. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
Does Willowleaf Cotoneaster grow in shade?
No. Willowleaf Cotoneaster wants full sun and will grow thin and flop in shade.
How big does Willowleaf Cotoneaster get?
Mature height is roughly 24–36 in. Growth rate is fast.

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Every list Willowleaf Cotoneaster belongs to.

All shrubs·Seldom damaged·Full sun plants·Evergreen shrubs

Hardy in these zones

Zone 6·Zone 7·Zone 8

Damage ratings follow the four-step field scale published by Rutgers University. Growing data is compiled from state extension sources and still being verified record by record. Last reviewed .