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Author Topic: Cotoneaster  (Read 2102 times)

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Offline DC

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Cotoneaster
« on: August 11, 2015, 09:07:28 pm »
I harvested a few cotoneaster shoots from the garden. Nice and straight. Is there anything I shoould know about it? Does it check, stuff like that?
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Offline bowandarrow473

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Re: Cotoneaster
« Reply #1 on: August 12, 2015, 03:19:36 pm »
I have no idea what cotoneaster is, but now I wanna find out!
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Whatever you are, be a good one.

Offline DC

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Re: Cotoneaster
« Reply #2 on: August 12, 2015, 04:02:41 pm »
Google is your friend.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotoneaster

Most Cotoneaster is a twisty ground cover but we have some in our yard that grows nice and straight. I cut a few and debarked it to see what would happen. The first thing I learned is that the bark is thick so you have to get a bigger shoot than you would think.
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Offline Pat B

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Re: Cotoneaster
« Reply #3 on: August 12, 2015, 04:25:19 pm »
Never tried it for arrows but cut some more and leave the bark on while it dries and see which fares better.
I do know that ground cover cotoneaster is a pain in the butt as far as landscape maintenance.
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline DC

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Re: Cotoneaster
« Reply #4 on: August 12, 2015, 04:44:58 pm »
My neighbor is a bee-keeper and he planted some of these trees around the area twenty or thirty years ago. They've spread out a bit. The bees love the stuff.
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Offline Peacebow_Coos

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Re: Cotoneaster
« Reply #5 on: August 17, 2015, 08:13:46 pm »
I cut a nice straight one last year, don't even think I sealed the ends, but I did leave the bark on.  It didn't check, heat straightened it.  It was real dense, I thought it would make a good arrow, but I lost it to the shop...when I find it I'll letcha know!  I did read a paleoplanet article that someone liked it for arrows/darts, and I think it would work nicely but my arrows suck.
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Offline DC

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Re: Cotoneaster
« Reply #6 on: August 17, 2015, 08:33:28 pm »
I peeled the bark off three trial shoots. It's been a week of hot(for here) weather. No sign of checking. But I don't think you should harvest anything smaller than 1/2". The ones I've got were more than 3/8" and after removing the bark and drying for a week they are around 1/4".
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