Pyracantha crenatoserrata Seeds | Firethorn
LATIN NAME: Pyracantha crenatoserrata
COMMON NAME: Firethorn
Plant Profile
Firethorn (Pyracantha crenatoserrata) is a shrub in the rose family. It likes sun, and well-drained soil. Through the flowering season it keeps visiting bees well supplied. Not many plants ask so little and repay so much.
Science & Biotechnology
The species features in the wider study of the rose family, and its traits make it a useful subject for work on germination biology, cultivation and ornamental selection. Winter berry display of firethorn gives it a recognised place in research on evergreen berrying shrubs of rose family, and crenatoserrata species appears in studies of berry-holding habit and wall-climbing growth. Breeders and collectors still work with it, so well-kept seed remains available.
Uses & Benefits
Beyond its ornamental appeal, Firethorn has the practical versatility that makes a plant worth growing from seed year after year. In sunny wall and hedge, firethorn embers autumn wall with red berries. Berries feed birds through cold months, thorny thicket shelters nests, and evergreen cover clothes wall and the boundary. It grows well in well-drained, sunny ground. After the first season it asks for very little beyond a place that suits it.
Firethorn is a berry-laden security hedge feeding winter birds; the berries are bird food, not people food.
Growing from Seed
Seed is the natural starting point for Firethorn, and the process is uncomplicated. Sow thinly on the surface of a loose, well-drained seed compost, cover lightly, water in gently and keep the tray in a sunny spot with even moisture. Grow the youngsters on steadily in pots until well rooted, then move them to their final positions.
Our Take
As a shrub, it settles into a routine quickly once established. It grows as a shrub, so its place in the garden is easy to plan. It is generous with beginners and their occasional misjudgements.
Related Reading
More species in the same orbit as Firethorn: