Pyracantha 'Mohave'
Pyracantha 'Mohave' is one of the most popular and reliably performing firethorns available to British gardeners. A vigorous, evergreen shrub, it earns its place in the garden through four seasons of interest — clouds of white blossom in late spring, lush dark foliage through summer, and an absolutely spectacular display of rich orange-red berries from late summer right through to midwinter. Robust, adaptable, and thoroughly unfussy, 'Mohave' is a hardworking shrub that rewards even a relatively inexperienced gardener with impressive results.
Key Facts at a Glance
Eventual height and spread: 3–4 metres × 3–4 metres (can be kept smaller with regular pruning)
Growth habit: Upright and spreading, naturally bushy
Foliage: Evergreen, glossy, dark green
Flowers: Creamy white, borne in dense clusters (May–June)
Berries: Vivid orange-red, profuse (August–February)
Hardiness: Fully hardy, RHS H5 (tolerates temperatures down to approximately −15°C)
Aspect: Full sun to full shade; excellent on a north- or east-facing wall
Soil: Tolerates most well-drained soils including chalk and clay
Appearance
'Mohave' makes a substantial, well-branched shrub clothed in small, oval, glossy leaves that remain on the plant throughout the year, providing structure and greenery even in the depths of winter. The stems are armed with sharp thorns — a feature that gardeners quickly learn to respect when pruning, but which makes the shrub an outstanding deterrent to unwanted visitors and a superb nesting habitat for birds.
In May and June the entire shrub becomes smothered in flat-topped clusters of small, creamy-white flowers, which carry a pleasantly sweet, honey-like scent and are irresistible to bees, butterflies, and other pollinating insects. By late summer these flowers give way to the plant's showstopping feature: an extraordinary abundance of bright orange-red berries. These persist on the branches long into winter, providing vital food for blackbirds, thrushes, and other wildlife, and bringing striking colour to the garden during its quietest months.
How to Grow
Planting
'Mohave' is best planted in autumn or spring into reasonably fertile, well-drained soil. It will adapt to most soil types, including chalk, clay, and sandy conditions, provided drainage is not waterlogged. Dig a hole roughly twice the width of the root ball, incorporate a little garden compost if your soil is very poor, and firm the plant in well before watering thoroughly.
Position
One of 'Mohave's greatest assets is its flexibility regarding aspect. It performs admirably in full sun, where berry production tends to be heaviest, but is also one of the best shrubs available for a shaded north- or east-facing wall or fence — a position where many other plants struggle. It is genuinely at home in almost any spot in the garden.
Watering and Feeding
Water regularly during the first growing season to help the plant establish. Once settled in, 'Mohave' is impressively drought-tolerant and will generally look after itself. A light dressing of general-purpose fertiliser in spring will encourage strong growth, but this is not strictly necessary on reasonably fertile soils.
Pruning
If left unpruned, 'Mohave' will develop into a large, free-standing specimen. However, it responds extremely well to trimming and can be trained flat against a wall or fence, shaped into a hedge, or kept compact as a free-standing shrub. The best time to prune is immediately after flowering in early summer, taking care not to remove the developing berries. Light tidying can also be carried out in late winter. Always wear thick gloves — the thorns are formidable.
Training Against a Wall
'Mohave' is particularly well suited to wall training. Attach horizontal wires to your wall or fence, spaced approximately 30–45 cm apart, and tie the main stems in as they develop. Side shoots can be shortened after flowering to keep the plant tidy and to maximise berry production on the trained framework.
Pests and Diseases
'Mohave' was specifically bred for its outstanding resistance to firethorn scab (Spilocaea pyracanthae) and canker — two diseases that can disfigure less resilient varieties, causing blackened berries and die-back of shoots. This disease resistance is one of the variety's most significant advantages and means that 'Mohave' generally requires no fungicide treatment.
Wildlife Value
Few garden shrubs can match 'Mohave' for the breadth of wildlife it supports. The spring blossom is a rich early nectar source for bees and hoverflies. The dense, thorny growth provides safe nesting cover for robins, blackbirds, and sparrows. And the heavy crops of berries sustain thrushes, blackbirds, waxwings, and fieldfares through the winter months. If supporting garden wildlife is a priority, 'Mohave' is an outstanding choice.
Recommended Uses
'Mohave' is an extremely versatile shrub that suits a wide range of situations in the garden.
As a wall shrub: Ideal for covering a large expanse of fence, wall, or outbuilding in sun or shade. It will soften even the most uninviting north-facing wall with year-round colour.
As a hedge or boundary plant: Dense, thorny growth makes an impenetrable, stock-proof barrier that also flowers and fruits spectacularly. It is far more attractive than a traditional close-board fence.
As a free-standing specimen: Left unpruned, 'Mohave' develops a handsome, arching shape that works beautifully as a lawn specimen or at the back of a large border.
In a wildlife garden: Plant alongside native hedgerow species or other berry-bearing shrubs to create a garden that actively supports birds, bees, and insects throughout the year.
Summary
Pyracantha 'Mohave' is a truly outstanding garden shrub — tough, adaptable, disease-resistant, and extraordinarily generous with its blossom and berries. Whether you need to clothe a difficult shaded wall, create a burglar-proof boundary, or simply add a reliable splash of colour to the winter garden, 'Mohave' will deliver year after year with minimal fuss. It is a plant that looks after itself, looks after wildlife, and looks genuinely beautiful in every season.
Buying Shrubs from Jacksons Nurseries
At Jacksons Nurseries we sell a variety of shrubs both evergreen and deciduous with a variety of flowering times throughout the year. At certain times of the year our shrubs you buy from us may not look like the images shown on our website when deciduous leaves have fallen, the shrub has finished flowering or has been trimmed back.
Some leaves on evergreen shrubs can be damaged in winter by frost or harsh winds but in spring new leaves will readily replace those damaged. This is quite normal on many evergreen varieties and is preferable to plants grown with excessive protection that show cold shock once planted out and establish less satisfactory initially.
Availability: Stock availability figures are provided as a guide only. There is a delay between orders being placed and the plants being gathered by our pulling team. During this time it may be possible for a member of the public to purchase these plants from our Garden Centre, while this is rare it is a possibility and we will notify you of any problems as soon as possible. This figure may also include plants that have not yet be flagged as unsaleable.
Pre-order: Pre-order times are given as a guide only and may vary dependent on the growing season. Orders containing Pre-ordered products will be shipped as a single order when all items become available. Large orders may be part shipped, please contact us on 01782 502741 or email sales@jacksonsnurseries.co.uk.
* Please Note: Shrubs in 20 litre pots and above might require a pallet delivery starting at £79.99 per pallet. Depending on the exact pot size and height it may be possible to get approximately 5 plants per pallet at no extra cost. The maximum height we can dispatch on a pallet is 2.0m, this includes the height of the pallet and pot.
Shrubs are deciduous or evergreen woody plants, and often provide fragrant flowers, berries and foliage. They are good for structural framework, and they can provide a wonderful shelter and food source for wildlife.
Planting and Conditions
Container grown shrubs can be grown at any time of year. It is a little known fact that shrubs planted in the autumn and winter will be easier to look after than those planted in the spring and summer, because they will have time to establish and become hardy in the cooler months.
Plant the shrub at the same depth as it was in its original pot. Planting too deeply can result in root and stem rot.
One of the biggest causes of death in new shrubs is drought stress, so keep it well watered until it’s established.
Make sure you loosen the soil prior to planting. Most shrubs are tolerant of most soil types as long as it is fairly well draining.
Most shrubs will grow happily in containers, but they will be much more demanding on feeding and watering than shrubs in the ground would be. They will also need potting on every couple of years so that they don’t suffocate or become stunted in their pot.
Aftercare and Pruning
Once established, shrubs generally do not require much water. However, at first they need careful, frequent watering and should not be left to dry out.
Shrubs in the ground are generally not demanding and in most cases, annual feeding with general purpose fertilizer will suffice. Shrubs in containers may need more feeding; usually from early spring until late summer.
Shrubs also benefit from mulching in order to supress weeds, conserve moisture and provide vital nutrients. Mulch also greatly improves soil conditions. Shrubs can be mulched in late winter, after fertiliser has been applied, but it can be mulched through autumn to late spring as long as the ground is damp.
All shrubs benefit from dead-heading once spent flowers become apparent. Rhododendrons and Lilac especially benefit from the removal of dead flowers.
Some shrubs may show signs of reverted growth or ‘sporting’. This is where random shoots of different leaves associated with the plant’s parentage begin to appear. Most commonly this is where plants with variegated leaves sprout pure green growths instead of variegated ones.
To control reversion, remove reverted shoots promptly to discourage them. Reverted shoots are usually much more vigorous than the variegated ones, and thus should be completely pruned out and cut back into wood containing variegated foliage.
Potential Issues
Although shrubs are usually very robust garden plants, they can sometimes start to decline with no apparent or obvious reason.
This will start with browning leaves, which could indicate plant stress due to lack of water or waterlogging, an establishment failure or, in the worst case scenario, honey fungus. Another cause of leaf browning is a high salt content in the soil. This could be a natural occurrence, especially if you live near the ocean, or it could be from over fertilisation.
To remedy a high salt content, cut back on fertiliser and step up your watering regime for the next few weeks. If you live by the ocean, this will be harder to remedy—but stepping up your watering will help to wash some of the salt away all the same.
No posts found
| Size | Availability | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
In stock
|
£11.99 |