Shrub · Rosaceae
Scarlet Firethorn
Pyracantha coccinea
Stiff, thorned branches drip with white flower clusters in spring and dense orange-red berries through winter on this rugged evergreen.
Full sun
Every 7–14 days
USDA 6–9
6–18 ft · 1.8–5.5 m
Overview
Firethorn earns its name on two fronts you can see at a glance: clusters of glowing orange-red berries packed along the winter branches, and stiff, needle-sharp thorns set at intervals down every stem. It is a fast-growing evergreen shrub in the rose family, its small glossy leaves held year-round on rigid, woody branches that take heat, drought, and cold once rooted in. The plant lends itself to a hedge, a barrier, or a flat espalier because those branches train and stiffen so readily.
Its color arrives in two waves. In late spring the shrub is dusted with sprays of small white flowers crowded along the stems, and by fall each flower has set into a hard, round berry, ripening from green to a deep orange-red and hanging in heavy bunches. Those berries hold their color and grip the branches through winter, drawing birds that pick them clean and making the bare-season shrub a knot of orange-red fruit when little else carries any.
The thorns are as much a part of its look as the fruit. Long, slim, and rigid, the spur thorns jut straight from the wood and end in sharp points that snag and puncture, so a firethorn set against a path or doorway will catch at whatever brushes it. Give it room, place those armed branches where they guard rather than grab, and work on it only in thick gloves.
Care
The short version: full sun fills out the white flower sprays and the orange-red berry clusters, sharp-draining soil keeps the roots sound, and a deep soak while it roots in is the only watering it needs before drought stops bothering it. Prune in late winter, and mind the thorns with gloves.
Light
Firethorn fills out its white flower sprays and dense orange-red berry clusters in full sun, where the fruit colors deepest and packs the branches most thickly. It hangs on in partial shade and partial sun, but the blooms thin and the berries grow sparse as the light drops.
Water
While the roots are still taking hold, and through any long, dry heat, water deeply, then ease off and let the soil dry between drinks. Once it is rooted, firethorn carries dry spells on its own thick, woody root system and rarely asks for more, taking water only every 7 to 14 days at most.
Soil
Its roots settle into clay, loam, or sand so long as the drainage runs sharp, since waterlogged ground is the one thing that rots them. A broad pH band from 6.0 to 8.0 suits the plant, which spans the soil under most gardens.
Temperature
Firethorn's hard, woody frame and small evergreen leaves ride out a wide swing, from about -9°F to 100°F (-23°C to 38°C). That toughness is what carries the shrub through zones 6 through 9.
Humidity
The plant's small, glossy leaves shrug off ordinary outdoor humidity. Air moving around the branches matters more, since still, crowded growth keeps the foliage damp and lets fire blight and scab settle into it.
Feeding
A balanced slow-release shrub fertilizer worked in at early spring is all the woody frame wants, and in good soil even that can be left off. Keep the nitrogen low, because it forces soft, sappy new shoots that fire blight blackens first.
Pruning
Cut firethorn back in late winter to early spring, and leave the heavy work off in late summer or fall, since the white flowers and the berries that follow form on last year's wood. The pliable branches shear into a hedge or train flat as an espalier, but the spur thorns mean gloves on every stem.
Repotting
Firethorn rarely needs repotting and settles its roots best left in place. In a pot, look for roots circling the inside or pushing out the drainage holes, water sliding straight through, and new shoots that stall, then shift it up a size.
Size & spacing
This is a large, broad shrub, its thorned branches climbing 6 to 18 feet (1.8 to 5.5 m) tall and arching out 8 to 18 feet (2.4 to 5.5 m) wide. Give the woody frame real room to spread, or hold it back with regular pruning.
When to plant
Firethorn holds its leaves year-round across zones 6 through 9, set out in the mild weather of spring or fall. Small white flowers open in dense clusters in late spring, and by fall those give way to tight bunches of orange-red berries that cling to the stems through winter, where birds pick them off.
Northern hemisphere
Southern hemisphere
Typical months for a temperate climate: start earlier in warm zones, later where spring frosts linger.
- Plant: Spring or fall
- Harvest: White flowers late spring to early summer; showy orange-red berries fall through winter
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones: 6–9
Temperature: down to -23°C
Troubleshooting
Firethorn's troubles announce themselves on its surfaces, the blackened tips of new shoots, the scabbed and discolored fruit, or the pale, flecked faces of the leaves. Watch for the first marks, because fire blight darkens and races down a branch quickly. Match the look below, then act while the damage is still local.
New shoots blacken, wilt, and hook over at the tip
The blackened, scorched shoots curling into a shepherd's hook are fire blight, a bacterial infection firethorn catches easily, and the dark stain runs down a branch fast. Cut the infected wood out at least 12 inches below the damage on a dry day, and wipe the blades with alcohol between every cut so the bacteria never ride to the next stem. Ease off nitrogen and overhead water, and set in a resistant cultivar like Mohave or Teton when you replant.
Fix:
- Prune out infected wood at least 12 inches below visible damage during dry weather
- Disinfect pruning tools between every cut with 70 percent alcohol or diluted bleach
- Remove and destroy prunings; do not compost
- Choose resistant cultivars such as Mohave, Apache, Teton, or Navaho when replanting
Velvety black scabs across the leaves and berries
Those sooty, velvety dark blotches are Pyracantha scab, a fungus that scabs the leaves and turns the round fruit a cracked olive-brown instead of letting it color up orange-red. Rake away the fallen leaves and scabbed berries so the spores have nowhere to overwinter, and thin the crowded branches to let air slip through. Scab-resistant cultivars such as Mohave or Fiery Cascade keep the foliage and fruit clean from the start.
Fix:
- Rake up and remove fallen leaves and fruit to reduce fungal inoculum
- Improve air circulation by thinning crowded growth
- Plant scab-resistant cultivars such as Mohave, Apache, or Fiery Cascade
Bleached, finely stippled leaves with dark flecks beneath
The pale, sand-blasted stippling across the upper leaves is the hawthorn lace bug, which feeds on the undersides and prints dark, varnish-like specks of waste there. Flip a leaf and you find the bugs and their pale cast skins clinging to the surface. Spray those undersides with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil, repeat as needed, and a hard jet of water rinses back a light infestation.
Fix:
- Spray leaf undersides with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil, repeating as needed
- Encourage natural predators
- Hose off light infestations with a strong water spray
Toxicity
Firethorn is a low-toxicity plant, and its fleshy berries are not on the ASPCA poison lists. Birds strip the bright fruit freely, the flesh is essentially harmless, and only trace cyanide-like compounds sit locked in the small seeds, so a few berries do nothing worse than a mild stomach upset. The sharp hazard is physical: the long, needle-sharp spur thorns drive into skin and cause painful puncture wounds, so handle the plant with care and keep it back from paths and play areas.
Toxic to
People
Safe for
Cats · Dogs · Horses · Rabbits · Livestock · Birds
People Caution
The flesh of the berries is essentially harmless, with only trace cyanide-like compounds locked in the small seeds, so a few cause no real trouble. The actual hazard is the thorns. Their long, needle-sharp spurs drive into skin and deliver painful puncture wounds, so wear thick gloves to prune and keep children clear of the branches.
Cats Mild
The fleshy berries are low risk, so a nibble usually passes without trouble. A cat that swallows a big mouthful might drool or bring up a brief bout of vomit before settling. The thorns are the sharper worry, since a curious paw or face meets those rigid points easily.
Dogs Mild
Most dogs can swallow a few of the round berries with no ill effect. A real pile may loosen the stool or trigger a single round of vomiting that clears on its own. The bigger mark is a puncture scratch from the spur thorns when a dog shoves through the branches.
Horses Mild
Firethorn is not a known poisoning risk for horses, and the berries hold only trace cyanide-like compounds in their seeds. A horse that strips a hedge of fruit might show a mild, passing stomach upset. The long, stiff thorns are more likely to scratch the muzzle than the berries are to do harm.
Rabbits Mild
A rabbit is not poisoned by the odd berry, though the fruit is no part of a healthy diet and large amounts can loosen the gut. Offer browse better suited to a rabbit and leave the berries on the branch. The needle-like thorns can injure a small animal pushing into the base of the shrub.
Livestock Mild
Cattle, goats, and sheep graze around firethorn without serious poisoning, and the berries rank low in toxicity. Heavy browsing of the fruit might bring a touch of digestive upset, nothing more. The rigid spur thorns can scratch grazing stock that lean into the thorned branches.
Birds None
Birds eat the orange-red berries freely all through fall and winter, picking the clusters off branch by branch, and the fruit is one of the plant's main draws for wildlife. There is no concern here at all. The thorny branches even give nesting birds a well-guarded shelter.
Wear thick gloves and eye protection when pruning or handling; the stiff, needle-like thorns inflict painful puncture wounds and localized swelling. Site away from walkways and play areas. Berries are low risk but discourage children and pets from eating large amounts.
Helpline numbers
United States
ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435 (fee applies)
Poison Control: (800) 222-1222
Canada
Poison Centres: 1-844-764-7669
Varieties
The named firethorns set themselves apart by the color and weight of their berries, the size of the plant, and how cleanly they resist disease. These are the ones seen most often.
Mohave
Carries strong resistance to both scab and fire blight, and it loads its branches with a heavy crop of orange-red berries.
Apache
A compact, disease-resistant form whose berries ripen to a bright, clear red.
Lowboy
Grows low and spreads wide into a flat mat, which suits it as a groundcover or a cover over a bank.
Lalandei
A vigorous old cold-hardy cultivar hung with orange-red berries, its long branches flexible enough to espalier flat against a wall.
Teton
Stands upright and narrow, with berries colored a warm yellow-orange and good resistance to fire blight.
How to propagate
Firethorn can be raised from a cutting or from seed, but only one of them reproduces the exact plant, berry color and all, that you started with.
Stem cuttingsModerate
Summer, taking semi-hardwood cuttings of current-season growth · Several weeks to root, then grow on for transplanting the following season
Copying a named cultivar true to its berry color means taking a cutting. Snip semi-hardwood pieces of this year's growth in summer, still firm but not fully woody, and dip the cut ends in rooting hormone to lift the odds. Roots form over several weeks, and from there the young plants grow on and go out the following season.
SeedModerate
Fall to spring; seed is naturally bird-dispersed · Slow and variable; seedlings of named cultivars will not come true to type
Seed will grow but tries your patience. The hard seed needs a cold spell to break dormancy, and it sprouts slow and uneven from fall into spring. Birds drop it far and wide after stripping the berries, but seedlings of a named cultivar will not match the parent's fruit, so a cutting is the surer way to a specific plant.
Myths
Firethorn berries are highly poisonous and will seriously harm any child or pet that eats them.
Firethorn is not on the ASPCA toxic-plant lists, and the bright berries rate low in toxicity. Birds gorge on the fruit all winter, the flesh is essentially harmless, and only trace cyanide-like compounds stay locked in the small seeds. A few berries are safe, and a large helping at most brings a mild stomach upset. The real danger is the thorns, not the fruit.