Code:519
An ideal hedging bush with berries that are much loved by birds in winter
Family: Rosaceae
Common name: FIRETHORN
Plant Classification: Hardy shrub
Minimum Height: 90 cm
Maximum Height: 1.5 meters
This variety of the lovely “Firethorn” is a compact, spiny evergreen shrub with narrow glossy leaves, sprays of white flowers in late spring and early summer, followed by abundant orange-red berries in autumn. An ideal hedging bush with berries that are much loved by birds in winter. Upright, later spreading, evergreen shrub with dark green leaves, spiny branches and bunches of small white flowers in late spring. These are followed by a profusion of bright orange-red berries in autumn. It is for these showy berries that it is grown, providing colour in the garden when there is little else. It can be grown as a free-standing shrub, against a wall or as a hedge.
Sowing advice:
Seeds can be sown at any time of the year into a sandy compost and covered thinly with sand or grit. No artificial heat is needed. The seed tray is best left in a cool spot and kept moist. Seeds generally germinate in the spring whenever they are sown but odd ones may come up at any time.
Garden care:
When planting incorporate plenty of well-rotted organic matter into the planting hole. Prune hedges in early to mid-summer. In early spring, trim out misplaced or crossing branches on free-standing shrubs. Tie in any shoots to extend the framework of wall shrubs and shorten branches to about 2 or 3 leaves from the base after flowering to expose the berries.
Habit:
Bushy, Compact
Toxicity:
The seeds may cause mild stomach upsets if ingested.
