# Narrowleaf Firethorn (*pyracantha angustifolia*)

The Narrowleaf Firethorn has beautiful green leaves and bright orange berries! It's a favorite among birds and other wildlife looking for food.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Narrowleaf Firethorn commonly grows in gardens, parks, and along roadsides.
- **Also known as:** Pyracantha, Thorny Firethorn

![Narrowleaf Firethorn](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Pyracantha_angustifolia_1DS-II_3631-02.jpg&width=800)

Photo: SAplants, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pyracantha_angustifolia_1DS-II_3631-02.jpg)

## Appearance

The Narrowleaf Firethorn is a dense, evergreen shrub featuring long, slender, dark green leaves. It produces abundant clusters of small white flowers in spring, followed by bright orange-red berries that persist through fall and winter. Its branches are famously spiky.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Rosales
- **Family:** Rosaceae
- **Genus:** Pyracantha

## Interesting facts

- Even in winter snow, its bright berries bring a burst of color to the garden!
- Its name "Firethorn" comes from its fiery-colored berries and sharp thorns!
- Some Narrowleaf Firethorn plants can be trained to grow flat against walls!
- This plant can live for many, many years, providing beauty for a long time!

## Special abilities

- **Thorn Defense:** Narrowleaf Firethorn has sharp thorns that help it protect its branches and berries from hungry animals.
- **Berry Broadcast:** Narrowleaf Firethorn produces vibrant berries that attract birds, helping to spread its seeds far and wide.
- **Winter Wonder:** Narrowleaf Firethorn keeps its colorful berries through winter, providing food and shelter when little else is available.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 200-600 cm
- **Spread:** 200-500 cm
- **Flower Size:** 0.5-1 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Late spring to early summer
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** Mild
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Eaten by:** [American Robin](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-robin) (*Turdus migratorius*) — eats its nutritious berries for energy.
- **Eaten by:** [Cedar Waxwing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cedar-waxwing) (*Bombycilla cedrorum*) — feasts on its abundant winter berries.
- **Pollinates:** European Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar and pollen from its small white flowers.
- **Shelter:** [Eurasian Wren](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eurasian-wren) (*Troglodytes troglodytes*) — builds nests safely within its thorny branches.
- **Eaten by:** [White-tailed Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — may browse its leaves, despite the thorns.

## Traits

- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.
- [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night.
- [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

The berries are not safe to eat, so don't try them!

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Narrowleaf Firethorn?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Narrowleaf Firethorn?

200-600 cm

### How wide does Narrowleaf Firethorn spread?

200-500 cm

### How big are the flowers on Narrowleaf Firethorn?

0.5-1 cm

### When does Narrowleaf Firethorn bloom?

Late spring to early summer

### Is Narrowleaf Firethorn edible?

No

### Is Narrowleaf Firethorn toxic?

Mild

### What is Narrowleaf Firethorn's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Vista Meadows Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/vista-meadows-park) — California, US · Park

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Narrowleaf Firethorn: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/narrowleaf-firethorn)