Common Name: Firethorn

General Information

Pyracantha coccinea is a spiny, evergreen shrub with a spreading crown and a very dense habit; it can grow up to 4.5 metres tall[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food. It is cultivated as an ornamental, where it can be used as a hedge, and is sometimes grown on slopes to help stabilize the soil.
Pyracantha coccinea has been widely introduced, mainly in the temperate zone and primarily for use as an ornamental plant. It fruits freely and the fruits are eaten by brds which then transport the seeds in their droppings. The plant has become naturalized in some areas outside its native range and is of some concern due to its potential effects on natural habitats and its being a potential reservoir of the fruit-tree pathogen Erwinia amylovora. However, it is has only been recorded as invasive in a small number of countries, and in most of these sources differ as to how invasive it is[].

Known Hazards

Although no specific mention has been seen for this species, it belongs to a genus where most, if not all members of the genus produce hydrogen cyanide, a poison that gives almonds their characteristic flavour. This toxin is found mainly in the leaves and seed and is readily detected by its bitter taste. It is usually present in too small a quantity to do any harm but any very bitter seed or fruit should not be eaten. In small quantities, hydrogen cyanide has been shown to stimulate respiration and improve digestion, it is also claimed to be of benefit in the treatment of cancer. In excess, however, it can cause respiratory failure and even death.

Botanical References

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Range

Southern Europe to west Asia - Spain and France east through Turkey and the Caucasus to Iran

Habitat

Woods and hedges[]. Rocky and steep areas, woodlands, coastal scrub, riparian areas, roadsides and borders of grasslands[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	4.00 m
Pollinators	Bees
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Pyracantha coccinea is a fairly cold-hardy species, tolerating temperatures falling to below -20°c. It prefers a warm temperate climate, however, with a mean annual temperature in the range 950 - 1,350mm[].
Prefers a good well-drained, moisture retentive loamy soil[, ]. Succeeds in any soil that is warm and not very heavy[]. Another report says that it grows well in heavy clay soils. Succeeds on chalky soils[]. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 7.5[].Succeeds in sun or part shade[] and also on a shady wall[, ], though it does not fruit so well in a shady position[]. Tolerates atmospheric pollution and reasonable exposure[].
A very ornamental plant[], there are a number of named varieties[, ].
Susceptible to scab and fireblight[], especially when grown on acid sandy soils[]. Pyracantha species in general are hosts of the bacterium Erwinia amylovora, which causes fireblight, a disease that seriously affects various cultivated fruit crops such as apples and pears[].
This species, especially the cultivar 'Lelandii', is notably resistant to honey fungus[].
Plants are intolerant of root disturbance except when young[].
A good bee plant[]. Birds are particularly attracted to the fruit of this plant[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - cooked. Used for making jellies, marmalade and sauces[, ]. The fruits of Pyracantha species are generally seen as famine foods and only eaten when better foods are unavailable[].

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

Tolerant of trimming and of reasonable exposure, it can be grown as a hedge[, ]. It forms a very spiny barrier[].
The plant forms thickets and can be used on slopes to prevent soil erosion[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame[]. Remove all the fruit flesh since this can inhibit germination[]. Stored seed requires 3 months cold stratification, sow it as early in the year as possible in a cold frame[]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the cold frame for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Cuttings of almost mature wood, 5 - 10cm with a heel, mid-August in a cold frame[]. Pot up in early autumn or the following spring[].