Pyracantha angustifolia

Firethorn, Orange Firethorn at Majura, ACT

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Identification history

Pyracantha angustifolia	14 Jun 2016	MichaelMulvaney
Grevillea australis	22 Apr 2016	AaronClausen
Unidentified	19 Apr 2016	AaronClausen

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User's notes

Looks like a nasty woody weed?

16 comments

AaronClausen wrote:

20 Apr 2016

Really keen to know what this plant is?

waltraud wrote:

21 Apr 2016

I'm sorry Aaron, i have no idea!

AaronClausen wrote:

21 Apr 2016

Hi Betty any idea what this one is?

BettyDonWood wrote:

23 Apr 2016

A wild guess is a Rhododendron, just from the way the leaves relate to one another. It is not Grevillea australis, which has very narrow leaves strongly curled under.

AaronClausen wrote:

23 Apr 2016

Thanks Betty. Do I need to get some better photos? I'm really curious about this one because there were a couple of them scattered around in the area. Are they are garden escape or a valuable native? They really stand out as odd among everything else growing in the area.

waltraud wrote:

24 Apr 2016

Aaron
if possible pick a sample for id - drop in my letter box or leave at landing. I will pass on to Isobel
Crawford next door. when you collect a specimen make sure it is big enough and has as many features as possible (I gather from your photos that there are nor flowers/ fruits so leaves must do...).
If it is an exotic I'll treat it next opportunity.
thanks
waltraud

MichaelMulvaney wrote:

7 Jun 2016

Aaron the leaf shape and colour is not typical for firethorn, I wonder if the leaves may be affected by a rust or other fungus. It looks like the plant was thorny is that right? - it should have orange fruits at this time of year

AaronClausen wrote:

7 Jun 2016

Thanks Michael, I'll try to get up there soon to get a better look and take some clearer, more definitive photos of possible fruit and/or leaf rust etc.

AaronClausen wrote:

14 Jun 2016

Hi Michael, I've added two extra photos which show close ups of a small section. There were no fruits on the tree at all and I couldn't find any very obvious signs of rust? But it does look quite stunted for some reason, like it has struggled to properly thrive or something.

AaronClausen wrote:

14 Jun 2016

Waltraud, sorry I didn't see your message. I have a small sample at my place today which I've added photographs of. This sample might not be big enough for Isobel..

MichaelMulvaney wrote:

14 Jun 2016

Aaron this is definitely firethorn, a nasty weed from Northern Vietnam (which actually has quite a similar climate to Canberra). In the interests of science you should prick yourself with one of the thorns showing in your new photographs, and wait a few days to feel the fire

AaronClausen wrote:

14 Jun 2016

Zoiks it sounds evil Michael. Waltraud I think we need to nuke this puppy. Let me know what we should do...

waltraud wrote:

14 Jun 2016

Kill!
cut&dab with glyphosate.
I must have overlooked this one.
Aaron if you have the means & know how to treat go ahead otherwise I could use the coordinates to find and treat.
The 4 introduced shrub species with spines / thorns that occur on mt majura are Firethorn (various species), African Boxthorn, Hawthorn and Sweet Briar. So always check for spines as shown on photos 3-5.
cheers

waltraud wrote:

15 Jun 2016

Done.
We haven't treated woody weeds in the area east of the trail and northeast of the small powerline easement - apart from firethorn there are hawthorn, Cootamundra wattle, Briar Rose - we'll tackle the area next season.

AaronClausen wrote:

15 Jun 2016

Waltraud, you already went and killed it today? Wow totally brilliant!!! Thanks heaps for this.

I thought there were more of these previously in the same area, so assume it was you that killed the other nearby ones? Top effort boss.

waltraud wrote:

16 Jun 2016

Aaron
I divided mt majura into blocks and tackle woody weeds block by block. Winter is not a good time as deciduous species such as hawthorn can't be treated - it's more efficient to systematically go through a block when all woody weed species includ the deciduous species are actively growing. I therefore do woody weeds in late summer/autumn ie after the spring/summer treatment of herbaceous weeds such as St John Wort.
I noticed a number of hawthorns close to the firethorn that you registered. Fortunately they don't run away so I'll treat them next season. Just for the fun i cut/ dabbed and frilled some close-by Cootamundra wattles.

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