Firethorn Pyracantha 'Red Star' red

Firethorn is undemanding and will thrive in normal soil, full sun or part shade.

Make sure the firethorn root ball is well-moistened by soaking it in a bucket full of lukewarm water overnight. Prepare a suitable hole in ordinary well-drained soil. Plant the Pyracantha coccinea root ball at the appropriate depth in the hole - the top of the root ball should be just slightly below ground level. Fill the hole and press firmly down. Water immediately after planting.

Firethorn is a climber

The long, flexible branches of firethorn can easily be trained against walls or fences. The branches cannot support themselves and should be tied in. With patience and support firethorn can cover a (preferably north or east facing) fence or wall.

Firethorn is a strong plant requiring minimal maintenance. Give it extra water during dry periods. Are you growing this climbing plant outdoors next to the wall? If so, be aware that it can stay pretty dry there. Provide Pyracantha coccinea with a garden compost mulch at the end of the winter. Heavy pruning is really not necessary. You can trim its long branches immediately after flowering or trim regularly to maintain the shape of the plant and prevent bare patches forming.

The white flowers will appear in spring, just as the leaves appear on the bare branches. Stand a budding branch in a vase indoors and enjoy them there too. The bright berries will appear at the end of summer and into the autumn. Very popular with birds.

Pyracantha is classified under Rosaceae.