Virginia Tech Dendrology

scarlet firethorn Rosaceae Pyracantha coccinea M. Roem. symbol: PYCO2
Leaf: Alternate, simple, oblong to lanceolate, serrated margin, 1 to 2 inches long, evergreen, shiny, dark green above, paler and pubescent below.
Flower: Creamy white, 5 petals, 1/3 inch across in tight clusters several inches across, appearing in late spring to early summer..
Fruit: Small pome, 1/4 inch across, bright orange-red, occurring in tight clusters, very showy, ripens in late summer and persists through the winter.
Twig: Slender, initially pubescent, later glaborous, red-brown, numerous spines, small buds.
Bark: Smooth reddish brown with numerous lenticels.
Form: Upright, open shrub with stiff limbs and many thorns, can reach 15 feet tall.
Looks like: cotoneaster - Japanese holly

Additional Range Information: Pyracantha coccinea is planted in the USDA hardiness zones shown above and may seed into the landscape. Download the full-size PDF map.
External Links: USDA Plants Database
All material © 2021 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson; Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range map source information