Pyracantha

Pyracantha, or firethorn is a semi evergreen shrub with spiny branches that bare simple green leaves and corymbs of small white flowers in May and June. They make a beautiful and impenetrable hedge, especially when the bright berries appear in winter.

How do I plant my Pyracantha?

When planting a hedge, you generally want to place the plants close enough so that they almost touch.

• When digging the holes you need to make sure they are about as deep as the container the Pyrocantha arrived in and roughly twice as wide. 
• Using a fork, brake up the soil at the bottom of the hole and along the walls. Add a generous amount of compost to the bottom of the hole and sit your plant on top of it.
• Now you can begin to fill in the hole. Pack the soil around the roots and compact with your feet. This will hold your plants firmly in place.
• Give the Pyracantha a thorough watering. Make sure you keep watering the plant until it has settled in and is well established.

How do I prune my Pyracantha?

It is best to prune your Pyracantha hedge during the Spring and then twice during the rest of the year. (Make sure you wear gloves though to avoid those little thorns.) This will keep the hedge nicely shaped like the picture above. One point to remember is that the flowers are produced from the previous years growth so you want to leave as much of last years growth as possible when pruning to maintain the show of berries during winter.

If your Pyracantha has become exceptionally wild and overgrown, don't worry. They respond well to being cut back hard so you won't damage the plant by giving it a good cut back. If anything, this will only cause the Pyracantha to bush out more and give you a denser, thicker hedge - great for keeping out those nosey neighbors!

Will my Pyracantha attract wildlife?

Yes, many garden birds love to eat Pyracantha berries. The dense structure of the shrub also provides a great place for birds to nest.

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