Shrub · Rosaceae
Scarlet Firethorn
Pyracantha coccinea
It's tough, it's fast, and it's got thorns, but firethorn pays you back with clouds of white spring flowers and orange-red winter berries.
Full sun
Every 7–14 days
USDA 6–9
6–18 ft · 1.8–5.5 m
Overview
Firethorn really earns its name twice over, with sprays of fiery orange-red berries in winter and stiff, needle-sharp thorns running down every branch. It's a fast-growing evergreen shrub in the rose family, and once it's settled in it'll shrug off heat, drought, and cold without much fuss. That's why gardeners reach for it as a hedge, a barrier, or an espalier trained flat against a wall.
The whole show plays out over two seasons. Little white flowers cover the plant in late spring, and by fall those blooms have turned into heavy bunches of berries that hang on right through winter. Birds clear the fruit over the cold months, which makes firethorn a magnet for winter wildlife and a dependable splash of color when not much else is fruiting.
There's just one catch to all that toughness. Those long spur thorns are no joke, so a firethorn planted next to a path or a doorway will snag everyone who walks by. Give it some room, put it where the thorns work for you instead of against you, and always handle it in thick gloves.
Care
The short version: give it full sun for the best flowers and berries, soil that drains well, and a deep drink only while it's settling in, and after that it'll handle drought on its own. Prune in late winter, and don't forget the gloves.
Light
Firethorn flowers and fruits best in full sun, and that's where you'll get the biggest crop of berries. It'll cope with partial shade and partial sun, but here's the catch: the more shade it sits in, the fewer blooms and berries you'll get.
Water
While it's settling in, and through any long dry heat, water it deeply, then ease off and let the soil dry between drinks. Once the roots are down, firethorn's genuinely drought tolerant and hardly ever needs your help, asking for water only every 7 to 14 days at the very most.
Soil
It's happy in clay, loam, or sand as long as the drainage is sharp, because soggy roots are the one thing it just won't put up with. A wide pH range from 6.0 to 8.0 suits it fine, and that covers pretty much any garden soil.
Temperature
Firethorn's both cold-hardy and heat-tough, riding out anything from about -9°F to 100°F (-23°C to 38°C). That range is exactly why it's so dependable across zones 6 through 9.
Humidity
Normal outdoor humidity? No problem at all. What matters way more is good airflow, because crowded, still air is what lets fire blight and scab move in, so give the shrub room to breathe.
Feeding
A balanced slow-release shrub fertilizer in early spring is all it really wants, and in decent soil even that's optional. Just keep the nitrogen low, because soft, lush growth is exactly what fire blight likes to go after.
Pruning
Prune in late winter to early spring, and steer clear of heavy cuts in late summer or fall, since the flowers and berries form on last year's wood. It takes well to shearing as a hedge or training as an espalier, but wear gloves every single time because of those thorns.
Repotting
Firethorn hardly ever needs repotting and is happiest left alone. If it's in a container, keep an eye out for roots circling the pot or poking out the drainage holes, water running straight through, or new growth that's stalled, and bump it up a size when you see them.
Size & spacing
This is a big shrub, hitting 6 to 18 feet (1.8 to 5.5 m) tall and spreading 8 to 18 feet (2.4 to 5.5 m) wide. So give it real room to fill out, or be ready to keep it in line with regular pruning.
When to plant
Firethorn's a hardy shrub for zones 6 through 9, and the easiest time to plant it is spring or fall while things are still mild. The white flowers show up in late spring, and then the orange-red berries follow in fall and stick around all winter for the birds. Pretty handy, right?
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
Most of what goes wrong with firethorn is fungal, bacterial, or a bug, and it usually turns up on the new growth, the fruit, or the underside of the leaves. The trick is to catch it early and do something, because a problem like fire blight doesn't hang about. Find your symptom below, then jump in while it still does some good.
Shoots blacken, wilt, and bend into a hook
That's fire blight, a bacterial infection firethorn catches pretty easily, and it can run down a branch fast. Cut the infected wood out at least 12 inches below the damage on a dry day, and wipe your blades with alcohol between every cut so you don't carry it along to the next branch. Go easy on nitrogen and overhead water, and when you replant, grab a resistant cultivar like Mohave or Teton.
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
Sooty black scabs on the leaves and berries
This one's Pyracantha scab, a fungus that leaves velvety dark blotches and turns the fruit a cracked olive-brown instead of that bright orange-red. The fix is easy: rake up the fallen leaves and berries so the spores have nowhere to overwinter, then thin out crowded growth to let air move through. And if you'd rather skip the whole thing, scab-resistant cultivars like Mohave or Fiery Cascade dodge it 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
Pale, speckled leaves with dark specks underneath
That bleached, stippled look? It's the hawthorn lace bug, which feeds on the underside of the leaves and leaves dark varnish-like droppings behind. Flip a leaf over and you'll find the bugs and their cast skins right there. Spray the undersides with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil and repeat as needed, and a strong jet of water knocks back a light infestation no trouble.
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
Worried about the berries? You can relax, because firethorn is low in toxicity and it's not on the ASPCA poison lists. Birds tuck into the fruit all the time, and the worst a few berries will do to a curious pet or kid is a mild stomach upset. The thing to actually watch is the needle-sharp thorns, which can give a nasty prick, so handle it carefully and keep it well away from paths and play areas.
Toxic to
People
Safe for
Cats · Dogs · Horses · Rabbits · Livestock · Birds
People Caution
The flesh of the berries is basically harmless, with only trace cyanide-like compounds locked in the seeds, so a few cause no real trouble. The actual hazard is the thorns. Their long, needle-sharp spurs deliver painful puncture wounds, so wear thick gloves to prune and keep kids clear of the branches.
Cats Mild
The berries are low risk, so a nibble usually passes with no trouble. If a cat polishes off a big mouthful, it might drool or have a quick bout of vomiting before settling. The thorns are the bigger worry, really, since a curious paw or face can get pricked.
Dogs Mild
Most dogs can swallow a few berries and be totally fine. Let one eat a real pile, though, and you might see some loose stool or a single round of vomiting that clears on its own. What to watch for instead is puncture scratches from the thorns when a dog shoves through the shrub.
Horses Mild
Firethorn isn't a known poisoning risk for horses, and the berries carry only trace cyanide-like compounds. A horse that strips a hedge of fruit might get a mild, passing stomach upset. Honestly, the stiff thorns are more likely to scratch the muzzle than the berries are to do any harm.
Rabbits Mild
A rabbit won't be poisoned by the odd berry, though the fruit isn't part of a healthy diet and large amounts can loosen the gut. It's best to offer browse that suits a rabbit and leave the firethorn alone. The thorns can hurt 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, but nothing more. Just remember the spur thorns can scratch grazing stock that lean into the hedge.
Birds None
Birds eat the orange-red berries freely all through fall and winter, and the fruit's one of the plant's main draws for wildlife. No concern here at all. The shrub even gives nesting birds a thorny, 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
There are loads of named firethorns out there, mostly told apart by berry color, size, and how well they fight off disease. Here are the ones you're most likely to come across.
Mohave
It's a favorite for shrugging off both scab and fire blight, and it sets a heavy crop of orange-red berries.
Apache
A compact, disease-resistant pick that lights right up with bright red berries.
Lowboy
It stays low and spreads wide, so it's handy as a groundcover or a cover for a bank.
Lalandei
A vigorous old cold-hardy cultivar with orange-red berries that takes really well to being espaliered against a wall.
Teton
It grows upright and narrow, with yellow-orange berries and good resistance to fire blight.
How to propagate
Want more firethorn? You can grow it from a cutting or from seed, but only one of those gives you a true copy of the plant you've already got.
Stem cuttingsModerate
Summer, taking semi-hardwood cuttings of current-season growth · Several weeks to root, then grow on for transplanting the following season
Want to copy a named cultivar? Cuttings are the way to go. Take semi-hardwood cuttings of this year's growth in summer and dip them in rooting hormone to boost your odds. They'll root over several weeks, and then you just grow them on and set them out the next season.
SeedModerate
Fall to spring; seed is naturally bird-dispersed · Slow and variable; seedlings of named cultivars will not come true to type
Seed works too, but it'll test your patience. The seed needs a cold spell to break dormancy, and germination's slow and uneven from fall into spring. Birds scatter it everywhere after eating the berries, but here's the thing: seedlings of a named cultivar won't match the parent, so cuttings are the better bet if you want a specific plant.
Myths
Firethorn berries are highly poisonous and will seriously hurt any child or pet that eats them.
Not really, no. Firethorn isn't on the ASPCA toxic-plant lists, and the berries rate low in toxicity. Birds gorge on them all winter, the flesh is basically harmless, and only trace cyanide-like compounds sit in the seeds. A few berries are safe, and a big helping at most brings a mild stomach upset. The real danger is the thorns, not the fruit.