Spreading Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster divaricatus)

Present distribution

Scientific name:	Cotoneaster divaricatus Rehder & E.H. Wilson
Common name(s):	Spreading Cotoneaster, green cotoneaster

Map showing the present distribution of this weed.

Habitat:

Prefers Sclerophyll forest, woodland and riparian habitats (Carr, Yugovic and Robinson 1992 and Weber 2003).

Potential distribution

Potential distribution produced from CLIMATE modelling refined by applying suitable landuse and vegetation type overlays with CMA boundaries

Map Overlays Used

Land Use:
Forest private plantation; forest public plantation; horticulture

Broad vegetation types
Coastal grassy woodland; heathy woodland; lowland forest; box ironbark forest; inland slopes woodland; sedge rich woodland; dry foothills forest; moist foothills forest; montane dry woodland; montane moist forest; sub-alpine woodland; plains grassy woodland; valley grassy forest; herb-rich woodland; sub-alpine grassy woodland; montane grassy woodland; riverine grassy woodland; riparian forest; rainshadow woodland; wimmera / mallee woodland

Colours indicate possibility of Cotoneaster divaricatus infesting these areas.

In the non-coloured areas the plant is unlikely to establish as the climate, soil or landuse is not presently suitable.

Map showing the potential distribution of green cotoneaster

Red= Very high	Orange = Medium
Yellow = High	Green = Likely

Impact

QUESTION	COMMENTS	RATING	CONFIDENCE
Social
1. Restrict human access?	Has a spreading habit, which helps the plant to form dense thickets (Weber 2003). Would require works to create access.	h	mh
2. Reduce tourism?	Ornamental species may alter the aesthetics.	ml	l
3. Injurious to people?	Cotoneaster berries are poisonous if consumed in large quantities (Richardson, Richardson & Shepherd 2006). In 1983-84 1.29% of the reports involving plants made to the Poisons centres in Australia involved a Cotoneaster species (Covacevich, Davie & Pearn 1987).	ml	m
4. Damage to cultural sites?	Ornamental species may alter the aesthetics.	ml	l
Abiotic
5. Impact flow?	Terrestrial species	l	m
6. Impact water quality?	Terrestrial species	l	m
7. Increase soil erosion?	Cotoneaster species have been used for soil conservation in their native range (Singh, Bhagwati & Nawa 1992).	l	mh
8. Reduce biomass?	Unknown; reported to form dense thickets, which could be an increase in biomass of the woodland that it has invaded (Weber 2003). However Cotoneaster species are reported to be able to prevent the native shrubs and trees from regenerating (Weber 2003). Therefore in the short term biomass may increase, while in the long term a woodland or forest may become a shrubland decreasing biomass.	m	m
9. Change fire regime?	Unknown, however a change in biomass could alter the fire intensity.	ml	ml
Community Habitat
10. Impact on composition (a) high value EVC	EVC= Grassy Woodland (E); CMA Corangamite; Bioreg Otway Ranges; VH CLIMATE potential. Can shade out other species and prevent native shrubs and trees regenerating (Weber 2003). Does not form monoculture some species can still establish underneath the canopy (Smith & Treaster 1979).	mh	mh
(b) medium value EVC	EVC= Herb-rich Foothill Forest (D); CMA Corangamite; Bioreg Otway Ranges; VH CLIMATE potential. Can shade out other species and prevent native shrubs and trees regenerating (Weber 2003). Does not form monoculture some species can still establish underneath the canopy (Smith & Treaster 1979).	mh	mh
(c) low value EVC	EVC= Riparian Forest (LC); CMA Corangamite; Bioreg Otway Ranges; VH CLIMATE potential. Can shade out other species and prevent native shrubs and trees regenerating (Weber 2003). Does not form monoculture some species can still establish underneath the canopy (Smith & Treaster 1979).	mh	mh
11. Impact on structure?	Can shade out other species and prevent native shrubs and trees regenerating (Weber 2003). Does not form monoculture some species can still establish underneath the canopy (Smith & Treaster 1979).	mh	mh
12. Effect on threatened flora?	Unknown, reported to reduce the species richness of native bushland (Weber 2003).	mh	l
Fauna
13. Effect on threatened fauna?	Unknown	mh	l
14. Effect on non-threatened fauna?	Alteration of habitat, reducing flora richness and creating dense thickets (Weber 2003). Therefore diversity in available food and shelter could be reduced.	mh	m
15. Benefits fauna?	Additional food source through berries for bird species (PFAF 2002). Dense shrubby vegetation, used for nesting sites by bird species (Lu, Zhang & Ren 2003).	m	m
16. Injurious to fauna?	Does have toxic properties, toxic to people (Richardson, Richardson & Shepherd 2006). However no detrimental effects to fauna reported, birds eat and disperse the berries (Weber 2003).	l	m
Pest Animal
17. Food source to pests?	Red berries attractive to frugivorous bird species (PFAF 2002). Visited by bees (PFAF 2002).	ml	mh
18. Provides harbor?	Used as nesting sites by turtle-doves (Lu, Zhang & Ren 2003). Creates thickets (Weber 2003). Thickets may provide shelter for foxes and rabbits	m	m
Agriculture
19. Impact yield?	Not an agricultural weed	l	m
20. Impact quality?	Not an agricultural weed	l	m
21. Affect land value?	Not an agricultural weed	l	m
22. Change land use?	Not an agricultural weed	l	m
23. Increase harvest costs?	Not an agricultural weed	l	m
24. Disease host/vector?	Can be infected by fireblight however this is rare (Ohio State 2002). Susceptible to honey fungus and the beet aphid (Jaskiewicz, Kmiec & Gantner 2004 and PFAF 2002).	m	m

Invasive

QUESTION	COMMENTS	RATING	CONFIDENCE
Establishment
1. Germination requirements?	For propagation of cotoneaster species, seed is recommended to be sown in autumn, or stratified over winter and then sown under glass in spring (Griffths 1992). Therefore there is a seasonal component to the germination of cotoneaster species.	mh	m
2. Establishment requirements?	Reported to occur in woodland and forest, therefore able to establish under canopy (Weber 2003).	mh	mh
3. How much disturbance is required?	Reported to invade woodland and riparian vegetation (Weber 2003).	mh	mh
Growth/Competitive
4. Life form?	Deciduous shrub (Weber 2003).	l	mh
5. Allelopathic properties?	No reported for this species, however C. salicifolius has been reported to allelopathic potential (Morita, Ito & Harada 2005).	m	l
6. Tolerates herb pressure?	Not reported grazed, tolerant of pruning (Ohio State 2002).	mh	m
7. Normal growth rate?	Reported to be fast growing (PFAF 2002).	mh	m
8. Stress tolerance to frost, drought, w/logg, sal. etc?	Deciduous tolerant of temperatures to -15⁰C (frost) (PFAF 2002). Drought tolerant (PFAF 2002). Tolerant of salt spray (Ohio State 2002). Susceptible of waterlogging (PFAF 2002).	mh	m
Reproduction
9. Reproductive system	Reproduces sexually, producing seed (Weber 2003). Cotoneaster species are capable of layering, where branches that are in constant contact with the ground can set root (Bossard, Randell & Hoshovsky 2000).	h	mh
10. Number of propagules produced?	Produces abundant fruit, each containing 1-3 seeds (Weber 2003).	h	mh
11. Propagule longevity?	Due to the seeds germinating after a 14 month stratification study on C. horizontalis, seed viability was at 38% (Blomme & Degeyter 1985). Unknown however how long a seed can remain viable.	m	l
12. Reproductive period?	Large shrub species; presumed capacity to produce fruit 10+ years.	h	ml
13. Time to reproductive maturity?	Unknown	m	l
Dispersal
14. Number of mechanisms?	Produces red berries, which are then dispersed by birds and animals (Weber 2003).	h	mh
15. How far do they disperse?	Birds and animals can disperse fruit seeds distances greater than 1 km (Spennemann & Allen 2000).	h	mh

References

Blomme R. & Degeyter L., 1985, Seed treatments and germination determinations for seeds of Cotoneaster horizontalis. Verbondsnieuws voor de Belgische Sierteelt. 29: 17-23

Carr G.W., Yugovic J.V. and Robinson K.E.,, 1992, Environmental weed invasions in Victoria: conservation and management implications, Department of Conservation and Environment, Clifton Hill.

Covacevich J., Davie P. & Pearn J., 1987, Toxic plants & animals. A guide for Australia. Queensland Museum. Brisbane

Griffths M., 1992, The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening. Macmillan. London

Jaskiewicz B., Kmiec K. & Gantner M., 2004, Beet aphid and ornamental shrubs. Ochrona Roslin. 49: 30-32

Lu X., Zhang L.Y., & Ren C., 2003, Breeding ecology of the rufous turtle dove (Streptopelia orientalis) in mountain scrub vegetation, Lhasa (Tibet). Game & Wildlife Science. 20: 225-240

Morita S., Ito M. & Harada J., 2005, Screening of an allelopathic potential in arbor species. Weed Biology and Management. 5: 26-30

Ohio State: Ohio State University. Cotoneaster divaricatus, viewed 9 Feb 2002, http://www.hcs.ohio-state.edu/plantlist/decription/co_catus.html

PFAF: Plants for a Future. Edible, medicinal and useful plants for a healthier world. viewed 8 Dec 2002, http://pfaf.org/

Richardson F.J, Richardson R.G. & Shepherd R.C.H., 2006, Weeds of the south-east. An identification guide for Australia. R.G. and F.J. Richardson. Meredith.

Singh R.P., Bhagwati P. & Nawa B., 1992, Cotoneaste rmicrophylla Wall. – suitable for soil conservation in temperate regions of Himalayas. Indian Forester. 118: 672-675

Smith E.M. & Treaster S.A., 1979, Controlling winter annual and perennial weeds in field-grown Cotoneaster divaricata. Research Circular. 246: 31-32

Spennemann. D.H.R. & Allen. L.R., 2000, Feral olives (Oliea europaea) as future woody weeds in Australia: a review. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture. 40: 889-901.

Weber, E. 2003, Invasive plant species of the world: a reference guide to environmental weeds, CABI Publishing, Wallingford.

Global present distribution data references

EIS: Environmental Information System 2006. Parks Victoria.

FIS: Flora Information System 2005. Department of Sustainability and Environment.

Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) 2006, Global biodiversity information facility: Prototype data portal, viewed 1 Dec 2006, http://www.gbif.org/

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