Firethorn

Firethorn: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Evergreen, thorny shrub of 2–4 m, stiff and widely branched.

Leaf

Alternate, small (2–5 cm), glossy and finely toothed.

Bark

Branches with sharp thorns.

Flower

Clusters of white flowers in May–June.

Fruit

Orange, red or yellow berries in dense clusters, lasting well into winter.

Difference from cotoneaster

Cotoneaster has no thorns.

Difference from hawthorn

Hawthorn is deciduous, with deeply cut leaves.

Flowering: May–June · Pruning: May–August

Identify by feature: Evergreen leaves · Red berries · Orange berries · Thorns or prickles

Looks like it, but isn’t

• Cotoneaster Cotoneaster: no thorns. Difference from cotoneaster
• Hawthorn Crataegus monogyna: deciduous, with deeply cut leaves. Difference from hawthorn

Why grow it?

• Masses of orange, red or yellow berries from autumn well into winter.
• A thorny, burglar-proof hedge that stays green all year.
• White flowers in May–June for bees and other insects.
• Berries for blackbirds, thrushes and starlings, and a safe nesting spot among the thorns.

Firethorn: where does it grow best?

• Sun to partial shade; in sun it bears the most berries.
• Any free-draining soil; no wet feet.
• Allow 2–3 m width as a free-standing shrub; as an espalier it stays flat against the wall.
• Ideal against a wall or as a boundary hedge, but not right next to a path or play area: the thorns are sharp.

Light

Sun or partial shade

Legal basis

Any garden soil

Moisture

Normal

Size

4 m tall, 3 m wide

Hardiness

Throughout Belgium, no protection needed

Goes well with

• Holly: A native, evergreen and prickly partner for an impenetrable hedge.
• Blackthorn: Native, thorny and early-flowering: together, a hedge full of nesting places for birds.
• Virginia creeper: Turns the wall fiery red in autumn, just like the firethorn’s berries.

Good and bad companions

Goes well with

• Suits the woodland edge or the light shade of: ginkgo, box elder, ash, honey locust, field maple, silver maple

Best kept away from

• Fruit trees that can catch fireblight from this plant: apple, pear, nashi pear

Firethorn: when and how to plant it?

1. Plant from a pot in spring (March–April) or early autumn (September–October).
2. For a hedge: 2–3 plants per metre.
3. Plant an espalier 30–40 cm from the wall, leaning slightly towards it; fix horizontal wires to tie it to.
4. Water generously after planting, especially along a wall, where the soil stays dry.

Care

Watering

In dry spells during the first year, especially against a wall.

Feeding

A little compost in spring; too much fertiliser gives long, soft shoots that are more prone to fireblight.

Tying in

Tie an espalier to the wires every year and train new branches in the direction you want.

Gloves

Always work with sturdy gloves and long sleeves: the thorns go deep.

Tip: Choose a scab-resistant variety, ideally one that is also less susceptible to fireblight: it saves you a lot of black, shrivelled berries.

Firethorn: when to prune it?

Pruning months: May–August.

When: After flowering (June) and possibly in August, without cutting off the young clusters of berries.

How:

• Wear sturdy gloves. Tie in an espalier every year and trim it in summer.
• In summer, shorten long new shoots to just above the berry clusters, so the berries show up well in autumn.
• A free-growing shrub needs little pruning: just remove awkward or dead branches.

Caution: Don’t prune in winter or early spring: you would cut off the flower buds, and with them the berries.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Cuttings

In July–August, take 10–15 cm semi-ripe cuttings, strip the lower leaves and thorns and insert them in sandy cutting compost under glass or plastic.

Firethorn: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy throughout Belgium: no protection needed.

• Hardy; in hard frost some leaves may turn brown or drop, but it regrows in spring.
• The berries hang on for a long time and are an important winter store for blackbirds and thrushes.

Diseases and pests

• Scab: Black spots on berries and leaves; the berries shrivel. Clear up fallen leaves and choose a resistant variety.
• Fireblight: Flowers and shoots suddenly wilt and turn blackish-brown, as if scorched; the tips curl over like a shepherd’s crook. Cut affected branches back well into healthy wood, disinfect your pruning tools and dispose of the prunings (not on the compost heap).
• Aphids: On young shoot tips in spring. Ladybirds and tits usually deal with them.
• Few berries: Usually caused by pruning at the wrong time, which removes the flower buds. Only prune after flowering.

Through the year

• January: Birds eat the last berries.
• April: Planting; tie in an espalier.
• May: Flowering; at the end of May, after flowering, you can prune.
• June: Prune after flowering.
• July: Trim a hedge or espalier, sparing the berry clusters.
• August: Last trim: cut long shoots back above the berries.
• September: Berries colour up; planting possible again.
• October: Berries at their best.
• December: Berries as winter food for blackbirds and thrushes.

What can you use it for?

Garden and landscape

Intruder-proof hedge or espalier against a wall, with superb berries.

For wildlife

Flowers for insects, berries for blackbirds, thrushes and starlings.

Caution: Host plant of fireblight, like apple and pear.

Good for wildlife

Birds

Berries, seeds or insects as food, or a place to nest.

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Hoverflies

Open flowers for hoverflies; many of their larvae eat aphids.

Did you know?

• An ideal burglar-proof hedge or wall-trained shrub; birds feast on the berries.
• The name Pyracantha comes from Greek: pyr means fire, akantha means thorn.
• Pyracantha comes from the Greek pyr (fire) and akantha (thorn); the English firethorn is a literal translation.
• Botanically, the berries are tiny apples: like apple, pear and hawthorn, firethorn belongs to the apple group within the rose family.