Collection of Pyracanthas for a Defensive Hedge

<strong>Pyracantha, or Firethorn, is one of the most decorative bushes during winter,</strong> alongside its cousin Cotoneaster, which is distinguished by its smooth-edged foliage and lack of thorns. Pyracantha has a much brighter, tougher, narrower foliage with slightly dentate edges and often rounded tips, in a very shiny bright green that highlights the profusion of glowing berries. The branches, if not pruned, gracefully droop under the weight of the fruits, which come in various colours ranging from golden yellow to dark red, including orange and scarlet. Pyracantha was once disparaged due to its susceptibility to fire blight, an incurable disease specific to Rosaceae, which can affect fruit trees (apple, pear, plum…). The INRA* has focused on developing resistant cultivars from the SAPHYR range, and the most sensitive varieties have been banned from sale in France by a decree in 1994, due to the damage caused in orchards. Modern varieties have restored the reputation of this spiny shrub, which had long been relegated to a defensive role and maintained without care. They are <strong>incredibly robust bushes and among the</strong><strong> </strong><strong>easiest to succeed</strong> even in poor soils, with multiple advantages that truly deserve to be integrated into the garden's decor! <strong>They withstand urban pollution, wind, cold, and heat well</strong>. The sharp thorns make it particularly suitable for designing defensive hedges, but its use is much broader. They elegantly arch to form the arches of a walkway, cover a wall with their lush vegetation while playing a significant ecological role. <strong>Birds such as thrushes, blackbirds, and robins delight in their berries</strong> during winter, with some building their nests well sheltered from predators, and <strong>the late flowering attracts a multitude of pollinators</strong> eager for pollen and nectar. *INRA: National Institute for Agronomic Research [caption id="attachment_45563" align="alignnone" width="1172"]<img class="size-full wp-image-45563" src="https://www.promessedefleurs.com/blogwp/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/fleurs-de-pyracantha.jpg" alt="Firethorn inflorescence" width="1172" height="780" /> Flowers of a <a href="https://www.promessedefleurs.ie/shrubs/shrubs-by-variety/pyracanthas.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pyracantha</a> or Firethorn.[/caption]