One of winter’s pleasures for gardeners is the brilliant and copious display of berries produced by pyracantha, commonly known as firethorn.
Starting in late summer or early fall, the pea-size berries – in shades of orange, red or yellow, depending on variety – persist well into winter, with final stragglers often having to be dislodged with a broom or hose jet.
Pyracantha has several uses in the garden, one of the most common being as an espalier against a wall to show off the berries. It is a member of the rose family and, as such, prefers the warmth of a south-facing wall. It also can be grown as a hedge, though the requisite pruning can severely limit berry production. Allowed to grow naturally, it puts on a colorful display as a free-standing shrub or ground cover (in the case of low-growing cultivars). Nearly all varieties have rather fearsome thorns, making pyracantha an excellent barrier shrub.
Pyracantha is a fast grower, many times exceeding two feet per year, and ultimately reaches 12 to 15 feet in height and close to that in spread. A few varieties used as ground cover reach a height of three feet, and sometimes, by pruning out upright branches, can be kept even lower.
The wayward, lanky branches of pyracantha often seem to cry out for pruning, but some care is required in this regard, since berries and flowers develop on wood from the previous year’s growth. Though pruning can be done at any time, waiting until early spring’s profusion of small, creamy-white blossoms will facilitate selective cutting and promote berry production later in the year. Since berries and flowers are produced only on growth that is at least a year old, pruning should leave as much of such growth as possible.
Pyracantha’s cultural requirements are straightforward. It prefers full sun but can also take partial shade, which means the berry crop will be less plentiful. It tolerates most soil and, in fact, fertile soil can lead to rampant growth and consequent decreased berry production. Pyracantha is drought-tolerant and care should be taken not to overwater it.
The best time to buy and plant pyracantha is in the fall. This is also the time when the shrub is fruiting, thereby identifying berry color. Pyracantha does not transplant well, so select the planting location carefully and, once it’s been planted, do not attempt to move it.
Pyracantha is subject to two major diseases: fireblight, a bacterium that can kill it, and scab, a fungus that defoliates it and discolors berries. It also may attract scale insects, spider mites and wooly aphids. Birds are attracted to the berries and may be a nuisance to some people.
Contact the writer: The University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners (www.uccemg.com) are certified volunteers dedicated to relating gardening information. For answers to questions, call the hot line at (714) 708-1646 or send e-mail to ucmastergardeners@yahoo.com
