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pyracantha

 
Dictionary: py·ra·can·tha   ('rə-kăn'thə) pronunciation
n.
A shrub of the genus Pyracantha; the fire thorn.

[New Latin Pyracantha, genus name, from Latin pyracantha, a shrub, from Greek purakantha : pūr, fire; see pyre + akantha, thorn.]


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Columbia Encyclopedia: pyracantha
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pyracantha (pĭr'əkăn'thə) or firethorn, any hardwood evergreen shrub of the genus Pyracantha of the family Rosaceae (rose family). Native from S Europe to W China, pyracanthas are now cultivated elsewhere (often as hedge plants or espaliered on walls) for their red fruits and spiny branches. P. coccinea, also called everlasting thorn, is the most popular; it now grows wild in parts of North America. Pyracantha is classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Magnoliopsida, order Rosales, family Rosaceae.


Gardener's Dictionary: Pyracantha
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The botanical name for firethorn.

pyracantha

Wikipedia: Pyracantha
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Pyracantha
Pyracantha branch with berry-like pomes
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Rosales
Family: Rosaceae
Subfamily: Maloideae or Spiraeoideae [1]
Genus: Pyracantha
M.Roem.
Species

See text

Pyracantha is a genus of thorny evergreen large shrubs in the family Rosaceae, with common names Firethorn or Pyracantha. They are native from southeast Europe east to southeast Asia, resemble and are related to Cotoneaster, but have serrated leaf margins and numerous thorns (Cotoneaster is thornless).

The plants reach up to six metres tall. The seven species have white flowers and either red, orange, or yellow berries (more correctly pomes). The flowers are produced during late spring and early summer; the pomes develop from late summer, and mature in late autumn.

Species
Selected hybrids and cultivars
  • 'America'
  • 'Firelight'
  • 'Golden Charmer'
  • 'Golden Dome'
  • 'Lalandei'
  • 'Mohave'
  • 'Navajo'
  • 'Orange Glow'
  • 'Rosy Mantle'
  • 'Santa Cruz'
  • 'Soleil d'Or'
  • 'Teton'
  • 'Watereri'

Uses

Pyracanthas are valuable ornamental plants, grown in gardens for their decorative flowers and fruit, often very densely borne. Their dense thorny structure makes them particularly valued in situations where an impenetrable barrier is required. The aesthetic characteristics of pyracanthas plants, in conjunction with their home security qualities, makes them a considerable alternative to artificial fences and walls. They are also a good shrub for a wildlife garden, providing dense cover for roosting and nesting birds, summer flowers for bees and an abundance of berries as a food source. Pyracantha berries are not poisonous as commonly thought; although they are very bitter, they are edible when cooked and are sometimes made into jelly.[2][3] In the UK and Ireland Pyracantha and the related genus Cotoneaster are valuable sources of nectar when often the bees have little other forage during the June Gap.


See also

Notes

  1. ^ Potter, D.; Eriksson, T.; Evans, R.C.; Oh, S.H.; Smedmark, J.E.E.; Morgan, D.R.; Kerr, M.; Robertson, K.R.; Arsenault, M.P.; Dickinson, T.A.; Campbell, C.S. (2007). Phylogeny and classification of Rosaceae. Plant Systematics and Evolution. 266(1–2): 5–43.
  2. ^ Questions about Pyracantha answered by Dr Jerry Parsons of the Texas Cooperative Extension (hosted by Texas A&M University)
  3. ^ Pyracantha jelly recipe from Dr Jerry Parsons of the Texas Cooperative Extension (hosted by Texas A&M University)

Translations: Pyracantha
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Dansk (Danish)
n. - busk i familie med hvidtjørn

Nederlands (Dutch)
vuurdoorn

Français (French)
n. - (Bot) pyracantha, pyracanthe

Deutsch (German)
n. - Feuerdorn

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - πυράκανθο

Italiano (Italian)
piracanta

Português (Portuguese)
n. - piracanto (m)

Русский (Russian)
вечнозеленое растение

Español (Spanish)
n. - espino de fuego, piracanta

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - eldtörne (bot.) evergreen buske m vit blom o röda bär

中文(简体)(Chinese (Simplified))
一种有刺的常青灌木, 火棘

中文(繁體)(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 一種有刺的常青灌木, 火棘

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 사철목의 일종

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - ピラカンサ

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) شوك النار (نبات)‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮פירקאנתה (שיח מטפס, קוצני, ירוק-עד)‬


 
 

 

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Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Columbia Encyclopedia. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright © 2003, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/cup/ Read more
Gardener's Dictionary. Taylor's Dictionary for Gardeners, by Frances Tenenbaum. Copyright © 1997 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Pyracantha" Read more
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