Pyracantha coccinea
Firethorn or scarlet firethorn, Firethorn
(c) David Dyck, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Rosaceae · Type: Shrub · Not Native
Conservation status: Cal-IPC Yes
Pyracantha coccinea (Firethorn or scarlet firethorn) is a non-native California shrub in the Rosaceae family, recognized by no sympatric species in CaRH bioregion.
Firethorn is a naturalized shrub found in the high Cascade Range, often in mixed-conifer forests and disturbed ground at elevations below 1,500 meters. Flowering from February to June, this plant produces white flowers clustered in dense, gray-hairy inflorescences. Growing to 6 meters tall with an upright form, it develops gray-hairy branches that become smoother with age. Its leaves are generally elliptic or ovate, 20 to 40 millimeters long with small teeth and a sharp tip, initially hairy on the undersides but becoming glabrous. The fruit develops as bright red berries approximately 5 to 8 millimeters wide, creating striking ornamental clusters.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated; no sympatric species in CaRH bioregion
Habitat and range
Habitat: Mixed-conifer forest, disturbed ground
Elevation: < 1500 m
Outside California: to British Columbia, Arizona, eastern United States, native to Mediterranean
Bloom period
Pyracantha coccinea blooms Feb-Jun.
Conservation status
Cal-IPC Yes
How to tell it apart
vs Heteromeles: Pyracantha has thorns and narrow leaves; toyon lacks thorns and has wider serrated leaves.; vs Cotoneaster: Pyracantha has thorns; Cotoneaster is thornless.; vs Nandina: Pyracantha has simple leaves and thorns; nandina has compound leaves and no thorns.; vs Ceanothus: Pyracantha has thorns and orange-red berries; Ceanothus lacks thorns and has dry capsules.; vs Prunus: Pyracantha has clustered small pome fruits; Prunus has single larger stone fruits per flower.
Frequently asked questions
Is Pyracantha coccinea native to California?
No. Pyracantha coccinea is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Pyracantha coccinea bloom?
Pyracantha coccinea blooms Feb-Jun.
What plant family does Pyracantha coccinea belong to?
Pyracantha coccinea is in the Rosaceae family, genus Pyracantha.
Is Pyracantha coccinea invasive in California?
Pyracantha coccinea is listed by Cal-IPC with an invasiveness rating of Yes.
What habitat does Pyracantha coccinea grow in?
Pyracantha coccinea grows in Mixed-conifer forest, disturbed ground.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.