Plant a Wall of Berries

Water and Mulch

Water the plant well, and apply a thick mulch of well-rotted organic matter, keeping it clear of the stems. Water regularly for a year or two, until the plant is well established. Only water during prolonged dry spells thereafter.

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Pruning Pyracantha

In spring, when flower buds appear, cut back outward-growing stems, or those growing towards the fence, and shorten others to keep the plant compact, making sure that you retain as many buds as possible. Wear heavy-duty gardening gloves to protect yourself from the thorns. In late summer, cut the stems back to within a few buds of the berries so that the fruits are more visible.

Wall Shrub Options

For flower rather than berries, try one of these beautiful wall shrubs. Each has its individual charms: both the Californian lilac and the silk-tassel bush are evergreen, while the flowering quince and flannel bush have bright, colorful blooms.

Flowering quince, Chaenomeles x superba; H5 ft (1.5 m) s6 ft (1.8 m)

Californian lilac, Ceanothus ‘Concha’; E5–10 ft (1.5–3 m)

Silk-tassel bush, Garrya elliptica; E12 ft (4 m)

Flannel bush, Fremontodendron californicum; H20 ft (6 m) s12 ft (4 m)