Pyracantha Red Cushion - Product Description
Overview
Pyracantha Red Cushion is a compact, evergreen shrub that brings year-round structure and seasonal spectacle to your garden. This hardy plant is prized for its dense, cushion-like growth habit, masses of white spring flowers, and brilliant red berries that provide stunning autumn and winter colour whilst feeding wildlife.
Key Features
Botanical Name: Pyracantha coccinea 'Red Cushion'
Common Names: Firethorn, Red Cushion Pyracantha
Plant Type: Evergreen shrub
Mature Size: 1.5-2 metres tall and wide
Growth Rate: Moderate to fast
Hardiness: Fully hardy (RHS H5, -15°C to -10°C)
Seasonal Interest
Spring
Clusters of small, creamy-white flowers appear in late spring, creating a frothy display that attracts beneficial insects including bees and butterflies. The flowers have a subtle, sweet fragrance.
Summer
Dense, glossy green foliage provides excellent structure and backdrop for other garden plants. The small, oval leaves create attractive texture year-round.
Autumn & Winter
The plant's crowning glory arrives as masses of bright red berries develop, creating spectacular colour that persists well into winter. These berries are beloved by birds, particularly thrushes and blackbirds.
Growing Conditions
Soil Requirements
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Soil Type: Adaptable to most soil types including clay, loam, and sandy soils
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Drainage: Well-draining soil preferred, but tolerates some moisture retention
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pH: Thrives in neutral to slightly alkaline conditions (pH 6.0-7.5)
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Soil Preparation: Incorporate organic matter such as compost when planting
Light Requirements
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Optimal: Full sun to partial shade
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Flowering: Best flowering and berry production occurs in sunny positions
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Tolerance: Will tolerate some shade but may have reduced flowering
Watering Needs
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Establishment: Regular watering during first growing season
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Mature Plants: Drought tolerant once established
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Seasonal: May benefit from watering during prolonged dry spells
Planting Guide
When to Plant
Best planted in autumn or early spring when soil conditions allow. Avoid planting during frozen or waterlogged conditions.
Spacing
Plant 1.5-2 metres apart for screening purposes, or as a standalone specimen with adequate space for mature spread.
Planting Steps
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Dig a hole twice the width of the root ball and the same depth
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Improve soil with organic matter if needed
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Place plant at same level it was growing in the container
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Backfill and firm gently
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Water thoroughly and apply mulch
Care & Maintenance
Pruning
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When: Late winter to early spring, after berry display finishes
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Method: Light pruning to maintain shape; can be hard pruned if overgrown
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Safety: Wear thick gloves due to sharp thorns
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Wall Training: Responds well to formal training against walls or fences
Feeding
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Apply balanced, slow-release fertiliser in early spring
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Mulch around base with organic matter annually
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Avoid high-nitrogen feeds which promote excessive soft growth
Common Issues
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Fire Blight: Choose resistant varieties and ensure good air circulation
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Scale Insects: Monitor and treat if necessary with horticultural soap
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Aphids: Generally minor issue; encourage natural predators
Uses in the Garden
Ornamental Applications
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Specimen Planting: Excellent standalone feature plant
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Hedging: Creates attractive informal hedge or screen
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Wall Training: Superb for espalier training against walls or fences
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Wildlife Gardens: Provides food and nesting sites for birds
Design Considerations
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Pairs beautifully with other evergreens and deciduous shrubs
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Excellent backdrop for perennial borders
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Provides structure in mixed shrub plantings
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Suitable for cottage garden and contemporary garden styles
Wildlife Value
Red Cushion Pyracantha is exceptional for wildlife, providing nectar for pollinating insects in spring and nutritious berries for birds throughout winter. The dense, thorny growth also offers secure nesting sites for small birds.
Special Notes
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Thorns: Plant has sharp thorns - handle with care and wear protective clothing
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Berries: Whilst attractive to wildlife, berries are mildly toxic to humans and pets
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Versatility: Suitable for coastal gardens due to salt tolerance
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Low Maintenance: Once established, requires minimal ongoing care
This reliable and rewarding shrub offers exceptional value for gardeners seeking year-round interest with minimal maintenance requirements.
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.
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