Scarlet Firethorn

Pyracantha coccinea

Found in planted, persistent around old homesites, and rarely escaped to woodlands. FloraQuest, phone app (app page) What its natural habitat tells you

—

Not native

Not native to Alabama. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 82%

Height: 6–18 feet
Spread: 8–18 feet
Light: Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture: Somewhat dry to moist

See native alternatives

Pyracantha coccinea — fruit photograph — (c) David Dyck, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY 4.0 · Original photograph

Plant this instead

Your county

Choose your county to list local plants first.

Sparkleberry
Vaccinium arboreum
Sun: Full sun, Partial shade. Soil: Somewhat dry to moist. Flowers: White.
Similar height, evergreen or deciduous, flower color
Chickasaw Plum
Prunus angustifolia
Sun: Full sun, Partial shade. Soil: Somewhat dry to moist. Flowers: White.
Similar height, spread, bloom season
Northern Highbush Blueberry
Vaccinium corymbosum
Sun: Full sun, Partial shade. Soil: Somewhat dry to moist. Flowers: Pink or white.
Similar growth form, height, bloom season

Refine these alternatives in the finder

Check a whole list of plants

At a glance

Life cycle: Woody perennial
Leaves: Semi-evergreen or evergreen
Bloom: March to May
Fruiting season: August to January

JFMAMJJASOND

Recorded in 8 Alabama counties.

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

14CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including AL

Genus host records with ranges including AL · Pyracantha

Acrobasis indigenellaLeaf Crumpler
Acronicta oblinitaSmeared Dagger
Antaeotricha leucillanaWell-Marked Leaf Tier, Pale Gray Bird-Dropping Moth
Automeris ioIo Moth
Coelodasys unicornisUnicorn Caterpillar Moth
Cryptothelea gloveriiOrange Bagworm
Grapholita packardiCherry Fruit Worm
Megalopyge opercularisSouthern Flannel Moth, Puss Caterpillar
Oedemasia concinnaRed-Humped Caterpillar, Red-Humped Appleworm
Oiketicus abbotiiAbbot's Bagworm Moth

Show all 14

Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
Schizura ipomaeaeMorning-Glory Prominent, Checkered-Fringe Prominent
Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
Zale lunataLunate Zale

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

—BeesSoutheastern regional records

—Specialist beesPollen specialists

—BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Rosaceae
Hardiness: Zones 6a–9b
Soil pH: Acidic to neutral
Flower color: White
Growth rate: Rapid
Growth habit: Single crown
Foliage color: Green
Fruit begins: August
Fruit ends: January

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “March to May” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
Flower color · “White” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Foliage color · “Green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Fruit begins · “August” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
Fruit ends · “January” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
Growth habit · “Single crown” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Growth rate · “Rapid” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Hardiness · “Zones 6a–9b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Height · “6–18 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs)
Leaves · “Semi-evergreen or evergreen” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Life cycle · “Woody perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Light · “Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial shade (direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
primary_flower_color · “white” · USDA PLANTS
Soil · “Moist; Occasionally dry” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Soil pH · “Acidic to neutral” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Spread · “8–18 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox

Conservation status

Alabama rank	SNA
Global rank	GNR
AL status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source