pyracantha

noun

pyr·​acan·​tha ˌpī-rə-ˈkan(t)-thə 

: any of a small genus (Pyracantha) of ornamental Eurasian thorny evergreen or semievergreen shrubs of the rose family with alternate leaves, corymbs of white flowers, and small red or orange pomes

called also firethorn

Examples of pyracantha in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Some good candidates for a bird habitat include brambles, cotoneaster, currant, holly, pyracantha, viburnum, and yew. —Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 July 2025

Agaves, yuccas, aloes, and pyracanthas are also uncomfortable for snakes. —Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 22 Apr. 2025

Plants with true thorns include bougainvillea, hawthorn and pyracantha. —Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Sep. 2022

Great choices include hollies, old-fashioned roses, anaqua, Mexican plum, huisache, Turks cap, pyracantha, condalia and yucca. —Calvin Finch, San Antonio Express-News, 4 Mar. 2022

This bacterial disease afflicts only apple, pear, and hawthorn trees, and pyracantha and cotoneaster shrubs. —Margaret Lauterbach, idahostatesman, 26 Apr. 2018

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Greek pyrakantha, a tree, from pyr- + akantha thorn

First Known Use

1633, in the meaning defined above