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Pyracantha koidzumii Rehd.
Rosaceae (Rose Family)FormosaFirethorn |
March Photo
Plant Characteristics:
Evergreen shrub to 2 m. high with occasional thorns and grayish pubescent
branchlets which become glabrous; lvs. clustered at tips of short branchlets,
oblong-obovate, 1-2 in. long, sometimes emarginate and rounded to truncate at
tips and tapering at base to a short petiole; entire, becoming glabrous above
and more or less pubescent beneath; fls. white, 1/4 in. or more across in a
bracteate nearly glabrous inflorescence 1 in. or more across; calyx slightly
pubescent with 5 triangular lobes; fr. red, depressed, globose, about 1/4 in.
across.
Habitat: Escape from cultivation. Blooms
in the spring.
Name:
Pyracantha, Greek, fire and thorn, from the red frs. and spiny
branches. (Bailey 506).
The species name is in honor of Genichi Koidzumi, 1883-
, Yonezawa, Japan. (Bailey
46).
General: Uncommon in the study area, having been found only along
the path between Northstar Beach and the end of Mariners Dr., 23rd
St. and below the intersection of Back Bay Dr. and Eastbluff Dr. (my
comments).
The berries are made into jelly. (ref.
not recorded).
Pyracantha berries taste awful but they are not poisonous. (Eshleman 11).
Many pyracanthas of mixed parentage are sold as P. koidzumii
varieties. (Sunset Editors, New
Western Garden Book 1984 436.)
Text Ref:
Bailey 507, Sunset Editors 436.
Photo Ref:
Mar 4-April 1 85 #11; Jan 1 86 # 2.
Identity: by R. De Ruff.
First Found: March 1985.
Computer Ref: Plant Data 267.
Plant specimen donated to UC Riverside in 2004.
Last edit 8/8/05.
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March Photo December Photo