Choose your Pyracantha
Red Pyracantha HedgePyracantha coccinea 'Red Column''Red Column' grows tall and narrow, so it suits hedges where width is limited and is the best choice for training up a wall.EvergreenFast 30-60cm per yearPot Grown
Orange Pyracantha HedgePyracantha 'Orange Glow''Orange Glow' is the most vigorous, making a thick, bushy security hedge smothered in orange berries every autumn.EvergreenFast 30-60cm per yearPot Grown- Yellow Pyracantha HedgePyracantha 'Soleil d'Or''Soleil d'Or' carries golden berries that birds tend to leave longer, so the colour lasts further into winter.EvergreenFast 30-60cm per yearPot Grown
Pyracantha or Holly for a security hedge?
| Compare | Pyracantha | English Holly |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | Fast, 30–60cm a year | Slow, 10–20cm a year |
| Thorns | Long, sharp spines on the stems | Spiny leaves |
| Flowers | Masses of white flowers in early summer | Small and white |
| Berries | Orange, red or yellow, autumn to winter | Red, in winter |
| Formats | Pot grown and trellis, 60–150cm | Pot grown and root balled, to 225cm |
| Best for | Quick security, walls and fences | A long-lived native boundary |
Gwynne's Grower's Tip
We only sell Pyracantha pot grown because it hates having its roots disturbed. Bare-root plants are often slow to get going and can fail, while pot-grown plants establish well at almost any time of year as long as they are watered.
If you want plenty of berries, trim the hedge just after it flowers and avoid cutting off the clusters of young fruit. For a hedge that really keeps people out, plant 100cm or taller and plant it under ground-floor windows or along the boundary you need to protect.
Pyracantha buying questions
01Can I buy bare-root Pyracantha?
We supply Pyracantha pot grown only. It resents root disturbance, so pot-grown plants establish far more reliably, and they can be planted at almost any time of year when the ground is not frozen or waterlogged.
02How fast does Pyracantha grow?
Pyracantha typically grows 30–60cm a year once established. A hedge planted at 60–80cm can reach 1.5–2m within three or four years, and it is easily kept at that height with a trim after flowering.
03Which Pyracantha is best for a hedge?
For a dense, bushy hedge choose Orange Pyracantha, the most vigorous. Where width is limited, or for training up a wall, Red Column grows narrower and more upright. Yellow 'Soleil d'Or' is a little lower and spreading, with berries that last longer into winter.
Growing Advice for Pyracantha Hedge Plants
What is Pyracantha?
Pyracantha, commonly known as firethorn, is a genus of thorny evergreen shrubs in the family Rosaceae. Native to an expansive region stretching from Southeast Europe to Southeast Asia, Pyracantha is well-regarded for its vibrant berries and its dense, spiky foliage which provides year-round interest and an excellent deterrent for unwanted intruders. The decorative and fragrant pyracantha flowers that appear in late spring to early summer are an added bonus, completely covering the plant. These flowers attract a variety of pollinating insects, thanks to their rich supply of nectar. These robust plants can be used as standalone specimens, or more commonly, as a formidable hedging solution due to their rapid growth and the security their thorns provide. The berries, though mildly toxic to humans if ingested in large quantities, are an essential food source for birds during the winter months, making Pyracantha a valuable addition to wildlife gardens. |  |