Near my office there is a pretty shrub that grows in front of a cleared stretch of power lines. I drive by it twice a day five days a week and every winter I tell myself I should stop and see what it is, yet I never do. Finally, last week I did. It definitely was something that I wasn’t familiar with, even when I stopped to look at it more closely, but I loved the bright green leaves and bright red clusters of berries, so I decided to take some photos. Once I had photos, it wasn’t hard to identify it as Chinese firethorn or Yunnan firethorn (Pyracantha crenatoserrata). It’s one of seven species of firethorns which are native from Southern Europe to China.

Firethorns are members of the rose family (Rosaceae), and as such are well known for their sharp thorns. Although not native here, firethorns have become naturalized to much of the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. They are often used as a decorative plant since they have bright red berries that last much of the fall and winter and bright white flowers during the spring and summer. Add to that the fact that the shiny green leaves stay colorful all year, and you have a beautiful plant. Some people also use this shrub to make fences and barriers since the stiff branches and sharp thorns are difficult for people and larger animals to get through. Fortunately, the thorns are not at all off putting to fruit eating birds. As well as providing food to these birds, the dense, thorny foliage provides a safe place for them to roost or nest. In spring, the flowers attract several types of pollinators, especially bees.

Now that I have identified this pretty shrub and learned more about it, I look forward to seeing and photographing the flowers come spring. If I’m lucky, I might find bees, too. I’m not sure if this particular bush has grown where it is from seeds dropped by some wild bird or if it was purposefully planted to keep people out of the power line area, but either way, it’s a nice part of my daily drive.