SPOTLIGHT ON PLANTS - PYRACANTHA

Pyracantha. Py-ra-kan’tha. Firethorn.
Pyracantha is an evergreen thorny shrub with simple leaves, round clusters of white flowers, and red or orange berries. The berries are outstanding features in the landscape from fall through winter and into spring. The berries must not be very tasty to the birds as they won’t eat them until late in the winter when other food sources have been depleted. That just makes for a longer show of berries in the winter landscape.
Most cultivars prefer full to part sun and are not fussy about soil ph. Ordinary soil and watering, once established, are adequate for its needs.
Some varieties such as Pyracantha coccinea are more susceptible to fire blight, which makes the shoots die back from the tips; scab, which makes hard, dark spots on the berries and leaves; and various insects.
Tall, short, or prostrate forms are available. Try ‘Mohave’, a orange-red hybrid cultivar, for a tall, disease-resistant plant, hardy to zones 6-7.
‘Red Elf’ forms a dwarf, 2-3 ft. tall, compact mound with bright red fruits. Hardy to zone 7, but susceptible to fire blight.
‘Navaho’ makes a broad mound, 6ft. Tall, with orange-red fruits. This variety has proven to be disease-resistant, hardy to zone 6-7.
Pyracantha can be espaliered against a fence to give a blast of color to any winter landscape. The berries don’t strut their stuff until fall and winter.