Featured Flower: Pyracantha

Pyracantha:

With so many of the colors of spring, summer and even autumn are gone from the landscape, it is refreshing to see a splash of color.  In winter, pyracantha serves that very purpose.  Although blooming with white flowers in the spring to summer, it is best known for its bright red berries in the winter adding cheer to the winter pallet of grays and browns. The aptly named “firethorn” berries can range in hue from yellow and orange to red.

The small berries, clustered on poms can create great masses of color. And the bushes, often used in landscaping for barriers are known for their thorns (so be ware when arranging or pruning).  Birds and other wild-life eat the berries.

Although there are plenty of hot-house flowers in flower-markets, and evergreens or dried flowers can be utilized to decorate your home in the winter, it is nice to be able to cut fresh plants to decorate your table.  Adding clippings of pyracatha (bright red) to dusty miller (silver white) makes for a nice bright, seasonal table bouquet or arrangement.