Pyracantha

In the cold and dreary winter months, gardeners need to rely on plant features besides flowers for color interest. Pyracantha is a good choice with its colorful berries that add beauty to any winter landscape. The botanical name for pyracantha literally means firethorn, for which it is commonly known. This plant certainly lives up to this name with the sharp and painful thorns on almost all of the branches. Pyracantha is a medium large landscape shrub, and is evergreen in mild winters. This shrub is versatile with many landscape uses. Left unpruned pyracantha has a casual growth habit and can up to 10’ by 10’. The arching branching habit is accentuated by the production of red-orange berries towards the ends. The heavy fruit clusters seem to drip off the branches. The fruit clusters are prominent from the late fall all the way through to the spring season. Perhaps the most popular landscape use is as an espalier specimen. Pyracantha readily accepts being trained. This can really enhance a blank wall or fence. Pyracantha is a fast growing shrub that is suitable all across Mississippi. The best fruit production is from plants in the full sun. When grown in the shade fruit production and growth rate will be reduced. Pyracantha adds beauty to our Mississippi landscapes, and the berries play an important role as a winter food source for wildlife. I’m Gary Bachman for Southern Gardening.