Growing berries on a firethorn

Is a male and female firethorn required for a firethorn to produce berries?

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##FULL QUESTION## Dear *Gardening Life*, Do I need a male and female firethorn (*Pyracantha*) in order to get berries? I have had mine for several years and have had no berries yet. *—Jill Bechard*

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##FULL ANSWER## Jill, Pyracantha does not come in male and female forms as far as I am aware. So reasons for your lack of berries could be: * Late frost killing the flower buds which form on previous year's wood. * Pruning too much of last year's wood, thereby reducing flower formation. * Lack of pollinators for the flowers -- assuming your firethorns are indeed blooming. * Too little sun; full sun is best for flower/fruit formation. * Soil low in lime and, especially, potash. I have read that some wood ash sprinkled around the plant and gently worked into the top couple of inches of soil can work wonders. Or get a rose fertilizer with potash in it and try that. And a mulching of good compost can never hurt. Firethorns don't like being transplanted so it's best if you can amend their current site to create more favourable conditions. Hope that helps. *—Karen York, Botanical Editor* Other questions recently answered by the GL team: Growing on a septic field How to battle weeds between flagstone and alternative options Mysterious orange powder on the lawn What to do with end-of-season potatoes on the vine How to control Japanese knotweed What to grow in a dry area The proper way to plant astrantia What is the star flower and how do I manage it? How do I eliminate my ant problem? Preventing red beetles from attacking lilies Vine types to grow on a new pergola Maintaining purple fountain grass Keeping bougainvilllea healthy throughout the winer How to rid invasive green goutweed Good garden uses for fireplace ashes Growing grape hyacinth indoors The best way to convert a lawn into a meadow The proper way to grow rhododendrons Eliminating beetle damage to spruce trees Annual resembling Japanese maple Planting ivy near cedar trees In search of the 'Sundance Kid' sunflower Caring for canna bulbs A supplier for barren strawberry ground cover Winter care for roses Cutting back mauna loa The best time to harvest curly-leaf lettuce Eliminating invasive trumpet Caring for double-flowering hibiscus trees Eliminating white aphids from honeysuckle vine Where to purchase Japanese blood grass An alternative to rhododendrons Growing a vegetable garden over a septic field Dividing and replanting daylilies Proper care for oakleaf hydrangea The best care for shrub roses 'The Fairy' Pest eating purple leaf sand cherry Preventing lawn brown spots Keeping plants sturdy Preventing suckers from a cut-down serviceberry tree Best tomato seeds to sow Preventing wind damage to grasses Plants to highlight a pool Reshaping yew tree The best way to replace a lawn Best screening plants for privacy Buying snowberries in Montreal Keeping 'Endless Summer' hydrangea growing strong The proper way to fill planters The proper way to grow hyacinths Boston ivy and rough winters Fast growing shade tree Using black walnut chips under a cedar tree Compatible plants with bell peppers Beneficial plants for roses

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