Pyracantha, An Evergreen Plant Provides Seasonal Interest and Berries

“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.