The genus Pyracantha is made up of seven species of spiny shrubs and trees from scrubby and wooded areas of southern Europe and Asia, including China and Taiwan. They are grown in gardens mainly for their showy, round, often profuse fruit in shades of yellow, orange, and red. Leaves and flowers are also attractive. Grow in a shrub border, as hedging, or (perhaps most spectacularly) against a wall. The fruit attracts birds and the thorny shrubs provide safe nesting areas.
Noteworthy CharacteristicsShowy fruit. Evergreen.
CareNeeds full sun or partial shade and fertile, well-drained soil. Pruning requirements vary by growth habit.
PropagationSow seed in a cold frame in fall. Or take semi-ripe cuttings in summer and propagate with bottom heat.
ProblemsSpider mites, lacebug, caterpillars, scale insects, aphids, fireblight, dieback, scab, and wilt.
