Plant Focus: Pyracantha
A low maintenance planting option with a long season of interest
Pyracantha is a genus of large, thorny evergreen shrubs that are part of the Rosaceae family of plants. Originating from Southwest Europe to Southeast Asia, Pyracantha displays multiple seasons of interest with its small bright green leaves, clusters of white flowers from late spring to early summer, and showy autumn berries in a range of vibrant colours, including red, orange, or yellow. Pyracantha is related to Cotoneaster, Photinia, and Crataegus, but features thorny stems and serrated leaf edges.
Commonly known as firethorn, Pyracantha is usually grown as a specimen shrub, hedging, or trained against a wall or fence. Pyracantha is also the perfect candidate for an espalier. An espalier is the practice of training shrubs and fruit trees into horizontal lines against fences, for example.
Key Characteristics:
✓ Evergreen shrub
✓ Height varies from around 1.2m-4m
✓ Late spring to early summer white flowers
✓ Autumn berries
✓ Thrives in a range of conditions
✓ Low maintenance
✓ Great for hedging, containers, or trained against a wall or fence
✓ Provides shelter and food for birds
✓ Produces pollen and nectar
If Pyracantha has been grown as hedging, it can be shaped to create a formal appearance, or left to its natural, bushy shape. The thorny stems and dense structure of Pyracantha helps to deter intruders, and it can also help to reduce noise and provide a windbreak. Taller varieties of Pyracantha can reach around 4m, but there are more compact varieties too, and it can easily be maintained at 1-3m for hedging. It grows fairly quickly, at around 30-60cm per year, so is great for providing screening or privacy if needed.
Fun fact
The name Pyracantha was derived from the Greek language, with “pyr” meaning fire, and “akantha” meaning thorn.
Pyracantha encourages biodiversity in a number of ways. Its flowers are rich in nectar and support a wide range of pollinating insects. Its density makes it ideal as a site for birds to nest and use for shelter. In addition to this, Pyracantha berries are a useful food source, although birds tend to show preference towards varieties with red or orange berries. The berries usually hang on until the latter part of winter, as the frost helps them to ripen and become more enjoyable before the birds begin their winter feast.
Species and varieties of Pyracantha
Pyracantha coccinea ‘Red Cushion’
A low and spreading evergreen shrub that has dark green leaves on spiny branches, and blooms clusters of small white flowers in spring, followed by masses of red berries. Pyracantha coccinea ‘Red Cushion’ is ideal for growing against walls and fences, as well as in containers. It’s a compact variety that grows up to 1.2m in height.
Pyracantha coccinea ‘Red Column’
An upright, dense evergreen shrub that grows up to 2.5m in height, with spiny branches that bear glossy green leaves. Pyracantha coccinea ‘Red Column’ produces clusters of small white flowers in early summer, followed by shiny red berries in autumn; these last into winter. It’s great for growing as a hedge, or for training against a wall.
Pyracantha coccinea ‘Red Cushion’
Pyracantha coccinea ‘Red Column’
Pyracantha ‘Orange Glow’
Pyracantha ‘Orange Glow’
Pyracantha ‘Orange Glow’ is a large, spiny evergreen shrub with an upright habit and glossy dark green leaves. In early summer it bears clusters of small, white flowers that are attractive to pollinating insects. From autumn, it produces bright orange berries. Growing up to 2.5m in height, Pyracantha ‘Orange Glow’ is great for year-round screening. Its dense structure makes it ideal for planting along boundaries, and useful for nesting birds.
Pyracantha Saphyr Rouge (‘Cadrou’)
A spiny, upright evergreen shrub with dark green narrow leaves, that later transitions to a spreading growth habit. Blooms white flowers from late spring and produces red-orange autumn berries. It’s generally grown for its berries, as these provide vibrant colour during the colder months of the year. Can be grown as a specimen, hedging, or against a wall. Grows up to around 3m in height.
Pyracantha Saphyr Jaune (‘Cadaune’)
An evergreen shrub that grows up to 3m in height, with spiny branches that bear dark green leaves, clusters of small white flowers in late spring, and bright yellow-gold berries from autumn to winter. A versatile plant, Pyracantha Saphyr Jaune (‘Cadaune’) is ideal for growing as hedging, a specimen shrub, or for training up a wall. ‘Saphyr’ varieties have the added benefit of being more disease resistant than other species in the genus.
Pyracantha rogersiana ‘Flava’
An arching variety, Pyracantha rogersiana ‘Flava’ is an evergreen shrub with dark green, narrow leaves. It blooms clusters of cream-white flowers from late spring, with bright yellow-orange berries in autumn. Growing to around 3m in height, Pyracantha rogersiana ‘Flava’ is ideal for hedging and being trained against a wall.
Pyracantha Saphyr Jaune (‘Cadaune’)
Pyracantha rogersiana ‘Flava’
How to grow and care for Pyracantha
Generally, Pyracantha is a low maintenance planting option. Pyracantha does best in full sun and partial shade, however, planting in full sun will produce the most flowers and berries. Any time of year is suitable for planting, but spring or autumn are most ideal. Pyracantha can tolerate any soils, as long as it’s not waterlogged.
When it’s planted, Pyracantha requires regular watering until it’s fully established. From this point it’s relatively drought tolerant, but will benefit from sporadic watering. If it’s trained against a wall or fence, however, then it will need periodic watering to thrive. Plant feed can be used annually in late winter, and then followed by mulch of well-rotted organic matter.
In spring, prune any areas as required to keep its shape. In late summer, any sideshoots can be pruned just shy of its berries, to ensure these are as pronounced as possible. Pyracantha flowers on the previous year’s wood, so it’s important to keep as much of this whilst carrying out any pruning. Due to its sharp thorns, always wear thick gloves to avoid injury.
Pests and diseases that affect Pyracantha
The following pests and diseases can affect Pyracantha:
Aphid
Aphids are a parasitic insect that suck the sap from ornamental plants and cover them with a sugary substance; this is known as honeydew. Over time, the leaves will become suffocated as they wilt and curl, and harmful fungi and insects become attracted to the plant. Aphids can usually be controlled and eliminated by natural predators, however, if this is not successful, then biological products can help to treat them.
Woolly aphid
Woolly aphids are a black aphid that sucks sap from the woody stems of plants, including Pyracantha. It creates lumps on the stems, and during the hotter months of the year, colonies will appear in white fluff on trunks and branches; this is what distinguishes them from other aphids. You can control populations of woolly aphid by removing them by hand. Encouraging wildlife, such as ladybirds, lacewings, and earwigs can also help to control these pests.
Caterpillar
Caterpillars live on the underside of leaves on most plants and tend to be most active in spring and summer. They cause damage to plants by creating shreds and holes in leaves. If the caterpillar infestation is small then it can be controlled by removing the affected foliage. With larger infestations, a soap based solution or neem oil can both work well.
Brown scale
Active all year round, brown scale is a sap-sucking insect that usually lives on stems and can be found on many different woody plants. If present, dark brown shells will be visible on woody stems, and if the infestation is heavy, plants may have a black sooty mould that appears on the excreted honeydew. As small populations of scale insects do not cause harm, it’s best to tolerate them and not intervene. Encouraging predators into your green space, such as ladybirds, will help to keep populations of brown scale under control. Adult scales and eggs can also be removed by hand.
Woolly aphid
Pyracantha leaf-mining moth
Pyracantha leaf-mining moths were first discovered in 1989, and have continued to spread throughout areas of Britain. Affecting Pyracantha during the months of January to March, the caterpillars of these moths feed inside the foliage, and this leads to oval-shaped mines developing, which are silver-white in colour. These do not have much impact on the plant’s long-term health, so it does not require any methods of control. Natural enemies, such as parasitoid wasps, will help to keep them under control.
Fireblight
A contagious disease of plants in the Rosaceae family, fireblight kills the shoots of ornamentals and is most apparent from late spring until autumn. It favours areas with high moisture, and the disease leads to wilted and dead flowers, shrivelled shoots that eventually die, and bark that develops a red-brown stain. If signs of fireblight are apparent, remove any parts of the plant that are infected. Ensure to thoroughly clean tools between cuts and before using on any other plants, to reduce the spread of disease.
Honey fungus
Honey fungus is the name that comprises many different species of the fungus Armillaria. This fungus attacks and kills the roots of a range of plants by spreading underground with the help of rhizomorphs. If it’s present, at ground level you will see white fungus in between the wood and bark. From late summer to autumn, you may also see honey-coloured mushrooms on plant stumps. The affected plants’ foliage may also appear smaller and paler in colour, and upper parts of the plants may die. Below ground, roots will be decayed or dead, and a white fungus material will be visible between the wood and bark. If honey fungus is present, all infected parts of the plant should be destroyed.
Pyracantha scab
Pyracantha scab is a fungal disease that affects various parts of Pyracantha from spring until autumn. If this disease is present then flower loss, leaf fall, and disfigured fruit will be evident. Unsightly black scabs will also be visible on fruit. If pyracantha scab is spotted then any affected shoots can be pruned. Good hygiene is important to prevent pyracantha scab, including collecting any fallen leaves, and ensure to remove any infected parts of the plant. The ‘Saphyr’ varieties mentioned above are resistant to pyracantha scab, making these ideal species to grow.
If you would like more information on Pyracantha varieties we sell, contact the G Team today.