“Pyracantha” is the scientific
name of firethorn plants, an evergreen plant that is easy to grow and provides
seasonal interest and berries can handle the simple care of firethorn bush. “Pyracantha”
is a genus of large, thorny evergreen shrubs in the family Rosaceae, with common
names firethorn or pyracantha are native to an area extending from Southwest
Europe east to Southeast Asia. The Pyracantha plant can reach up to 20 feet
tall, having seven species provides white / red flowers, (produce during late
spring and early summer) and orange and yellow berries from late summer and
mature in late autumn. The plant is valuable ornamental plants, decorative
flowers and fruits often very densely borne.
The “Pyracantha” aesthetic characteristics
in conjunction with their home security qualities make them an alternative to
artificial fences and walls. “Pyracantha” is also good shrubs for a wildlife
garden, providing dense cover for roosting and nesting birds, summer flowers
for bees and a plenty of berries as a food source. “Pyracantha” berries are
mildly poisonous as their seeds contain cyanogenic glycosides, however in some
colder countries “Pyracantha” and the related genus Cotoneaster are valuable
sources of nectar when often the bees have little other forage during the June
Gap. Birds love the berries of the “Pyracantha” and take shelter from wintry
blasts all through the long cold season and spring bloom is just the icing on
the cake.
How to Grow “Pyracantha”
It is possible to grow red
berried “Pyracantha” from seed, and then you need to do collect seeds from
plant in the autumn, remove the outer coat of seed and place the seed in your
fridge for 60 days to break the seeds cold dormancy mechanism. Lightly scratch
the seed coat with some very fine sand paper to scuff the hard coat, then you
can sow the seeds as normal. Moreover “Pyracantha” is very easy to propagate from
stem cuttings and this method will produce rooted cuttings until spring, but
cuttings taken after December never seem to grow as well as ones taken between
Sep to Dec.
Moreover select a sunny, shady or
a partly sunny location for growing firethorn shrubs. They can also thrive in
dry or moist soils, though damper areas produce bigger plants. Therefore, you
may want to choose a fertile, moist place when planting firethorn. Also consider
the location of your shrub prudently. The plant’s remarkable looks are paired
with prickly leaves that snag and scrape. Plant the shrub away from doorways,
gates and entryways. Hence dig the hole twice as large as the root ball when
planting firethorn and provide consistent water while establishing. Install
firethorn in fall for the healthiest plant and best results.
