Scarlet Firethorn 'Red Column'

Scarlet Firethorn 'Red Column' (Pyracantha coccinea) is a dense, evergreen (or semi-evergreen) thorny shrub, valued for its upright crown shape and abundant fruiting.

Height and form: A mature plant usually reaches 2–3 m in height and 1.5–2.5 m in width. The crown is dense, the shoots grow vertically and are covered with long, sharp thorns.

Leaves: Leathery, glossy, dark green in colour, lanceolate in shape. In mild winters they remain on the branches; in severe ones they may dry out and fall.

Flowering: In May–June the shrub is abundantly covered with small white flowers, gathered into umbellate inflorescences. The flowers have a pleasant fragrance and attract bees.

Fruit: The chief ornament of the cultivar — numerous rounded bright red berries 6–8 mm in diameter. They ripen in late summer and can remain on the bush right up to spring, serving as food for birds.