Rutgers Firethorn Pyracantha

‘Rutgers’ is a hybrid pyracantha introduced in 1980 by Dr. Elwin Orton of Rutgers University. It is a compact, sprawling shrub. It is noted for its narrow glossy dark green leaves (to 2.5” long), its abundant orange-red berries (larger than P. coccinea ) and its needle like spines to 3/4” long. Foliage is evergreen in mild climates. Profuse clusters of tiny white flowers appear in spring on spurs along the prior year’s wood. Flowers are unpleasantly aromatic. Flowers give way to pea-sized orange fruits which ripen in September and persist into winter. Impenetrable shrub for informal hedges, hedgerows. dense screens or property lines. Also effective when massed to cover slopes. Group in shrub borders. May be sheared as a hedge, but severe pruning performed after flowering will adversely affect fruit production. Espaliers trained on wall or fence. Best planted in areas where the thorns will not present a problem. ~ Description courtesy of Missouri Botanical Garden Ornamental Characteristics Category Shrub Environmental Characteristics