Firethorn

Sun

Full sun to partial shade; flowering and fruiting are strongest in full sun.

Water

Water regularly during the first growing season. Once established, water during prolonged drought, especially beside walls where rain may not reach the roots.

Soil

Most well-drained soils, including clay, loam and sandy soil; tolerates acidic to alkaline conditions. Avoid waterlogged ground.

Height

6-12 ft (1.8-3.7 m)

Spread

6-12 ft (1.8-3.7 m)

Flowers

Clusters of small, creamy-white flowers in late spring to early summer.

Foliage

Small, glossy, dark green leaves on stiff branches armed with sharp thorns; evergreen to semi-evergreen depending on winter conditions.

Growth

Moderate to fast once established.

Care needed

Medium

• Pollinators
• Deer resistant
• Drought tolerant
• Heat tolerant
• Wildlife
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Very tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1.6 ft (0.5 m)

2. After 1 year

   3 ft (1.1 m)

3. After 2 years

   5 ft (1.6 m)

4. After 3 years

   7 ft (2.2 m)

5. After 5 years

   9 ft (2.8 m)

   full size

About 4 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Mildly toxic: may upset a stomach

Native to

Canada

Invasive in

the US and Australia

Growth rate

Fast

• Water deeply during dry spells for the first growing season rather than giving frequent shallow drinks.
• Apply 2-3 in (5-8 cm) of organic mulch, keeping it clear of the main stems.
• Feed lightly in spring only if growth is weak; excessive nitrogen encourages leafy growth at the expense of flowers.
• For wall training, install sturdy wires or a trellis and tie in branches; firethorn does not cling by itself.
• Wear thick gloves, long sleeves and eye protection when handling thorny branches.

Pruning. In spring, remove dead, damaged or crowded branches, avoiding heavy cuts into older flowering wood. After flowering, shorten new side shoots without cutting off developing fruit clusters; check for active bird nests before pruning.

Late winter

Check wall supports and ties, and loosen any ties that are cutting into stems.

Spring

Plant when the ground is workable, water thoroughly and mulch around the root area.

Spring

Remove winter-damaged growth and inspect new shoots for aphids or sudden blackening.

Early summer

After flowering, trim unwanted new shoots while retaining fruit clusters and checking for nesting birds.

Summer

Water young plants during dry weather and tie new framework branches to supports.

Autumn

Remove unwanted seedlings and assess whether fruit-bearing branches are encroaching on paths.

• Train branches across a sunny wall or fence to display the flowers and fruit without taking up a deep border.
• Use as a dense boundary or security hedge, set well back from paths and play areas.
• Combine with ornamental grasses and autumn-flowering perennials so the fruit provides a strong late-season accent.
• Grow as a loose wildlife screen with other flowering and fruiting shrubs where its thorny branches have room to develop.

Garden styles it suits: Traditional, English country, Cottage garden, Wildlife garden, Native hedgerow and Winter interest.

Plant it with: Lavender, Catmint, Hardy geranium, Feather reed grass, Michaelmas daisy and Shrub roses.

Wildlife: Flowers provide nectar and pollen for insects, and birds eat the fruit in autumn and winter. Dense, thorny branches offer shelter and nesting sites, although birds can also spread the seeds into nearby natural areas.

• Fire blight: flowers and shoots suddenly blacken, often with hooked shoot tips. Cut back into healthy wood in dry weather, disinfect tools between cuts and avoid heavy nitrogen feeding.
• Pyracantha scab: dark leaf spots, leaf fall and blackened or cracked fruit. Collect fallen leaves, thin crowded growth and choose a scab-resistant cultivar when replacing badly affected plants.
• Aphids: clusters on soft shoots can curl leaves and leave sticky honeydew. Wash off small colonies with water and encourage ladybirds and other predators.
• Poor fruiting: deep shade, repeated hedge clipping or frost-damaged flowers can leave little fruit. Provide more sun where possible and prune selectively rather than shearing off flowering wood.

Not known to be toxic to cats, dogs or horses. Fruit can cause stomach upset if eaten in quantity; for people, it should not be treated as an edible crop, and the seeds contain cyanogenic compounds. Sharp thorns are a significant puncture hazard for people and animals.

Where it spreads. Bird-spread seedlings can establish beyond gardens. It is an environmental weed in parts of southeastern Australia, including New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, and is invasive in parts of California. Check local guidance before planting near bushland or other natural areas.

• Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster spp.)

  Many have similar small leaves, white flowers and red fruit, but cotoneasters lack firethorn's stout thorns.

• Narrow-leaved firethorn (Pyracantha angustifolia)

  Usually has much narrower leaves with pale, felted undersides and yellow to orange fruit; scarlet firethorn has broader leaves with mostly hairless undersides.

• Common hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna)

  Also has thorns, white flowers and red fruit, but its leaves are distinctly lobed and deciduous, and it commonly develops into a small tree.

Pyracantha comes from Greek words meaning fire and thorn, referring to the bright fruit and thorny branches, while coccinea means scarlet.

Propagation. Take semi-ripe cuttings in late summer. Seed can be sown after cold stratification, but seedlings vary and do not reliably retain a named cultivar's characteristics.

Accepted botanical name

Pyracantha coccinea

In the US and Canada

Native in Canada. Introduced in the lower 48 states.

Native range

Albania, Bulgaria, France, Greece, Iran, Italy, Krym, Lebanon-Syria, North Caucasus, Spain, Switzerland and Transcaucasus.

Measured

Soil pH 5.8 to 8. Average height 222 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.