Leaf
Liliane Roubaudi, Tela Botanica · CC BY-SA 2.0
Firethorn
Pyracantha coccinea M.Roem.
Also known as: Scarlet firethorn, Pyracantha
Family: Rosaceae
2 to 4 m tall
Defensive hedges, walls, any well-drained soil
Flowering: May – June
Full sun
Part shade
Hardy to -20°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
Its very thorny twigs make it a natural defensive hedge, as well as being decorative.
🍃 Leaves
Evergreen, small, oval, glossy dark green
🌸 Flowers
Small white flowers in dense corymbs, fragrant
🍎 Fruits
Clusters of bright red berries, very decorative in autumn and winter
🪵 Bark
Grey-brown thorny twigs
🗺️ Distribution
South-eastern Europe, western Asia; widely cultivated in France, sometimes subspontaneous.
🐝 Value for pollinators
Abundant white spring flowering much visited by bees and hoverflies.
✂️ Horticultural uses
Planted as a thorny defensive hedge or trained as an espalier, valued for its decorative berries that persist through winter.
⚠️ Possible toxicity
Fruits (berries) mildly toxic in large quantities, which can cause digestive upset, particularly in domestic animals.
🌿 Other Rosaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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