Pyracantha

Pyracantha

Pyracantha (firethorn) is an upright, dense and very prickly evergreen shrub valued for reliable structure and wildlife appeal. Small, dark green leaves cloak thorny branches, with clusters of white flowers in late spring to early summer, followed by abundant, long-lasting berries in autumn and into winter (berry colour varies by cultivar). Excellent as a secure, bird-friendly hedge or trained against a wall or fence, it grows well in sun or light shade and in most well-drained soils. Expect an eventual height of about 34m with a similar spread if left untrimmed; regular clipping readily maintains a narrower hedge.

Feeding time: Spring Trimming time: Late summer (around August), cutting back the current seasons growth to maintain shape while preserving next years flowers and the berry display

To help give a clear sense of scale, the stone wall shown in our photos measures approximately 265cm in height. We also use familiar garden tools as visual references: a digging fork (110cm tall) and a hand fork (30cm tall). These are included purely as size guides to help you better judge proportions when viewing the images.

Position: Sun or light shade Rate of Growth: Moderate Soil: Any reasonably fertile, well-drained soil; from light sandy to clay, including chalk Hardiness: Fully hardy Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Plant at a Glance

light:sun
light:light-shade
facing:south
facing:west
facing:east
facing:north
soiltype:moderate-fertile
soiltype:light-sandy
soiltype:heavy-clay
soiltype:chalky
soilmoisture:normal
foliage:evergreen
flowering:may
flowering:june
flowercolour:white
leafcolour:green
size:2m-5m
wildlife:attractive-to-pollinators
wildlife:attractive-to-birds
wildlife:attractive-to-bees
gardenstyle:formal
gardenstyle:architectural