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Scarlet firethorn (Pyracantha coccinea)

Scarlet firethorn is naturalised in parts of south-eastern Australia and is regarded as a potentially serious environmental weed in the ACT. It can invade dry forests and woodlands near urban areas, with birds and other animals spreading its seeds from gardens.

Key facts

Type: Weed, shrub.

Native to: Southern Europe and south-western Asia.

Established in: NSW, ACT, VIC, TAS, SA.

Other names: firethorn, red firethorn, pyracanth, everlasting thorn.

Best time to act: Look for the shrub when its flowers or bright red mature fruit make it conspicuous, and control it before fruit can be eaten and dispersed.

Identification

  • It is a woody shrub with thorny stems and dense growth.
  • Its leaves have finely toothed margins.
  • It bears clusters of flowers.
  • Its mature fruit is bright red and conspicuous.
  • Look-alike: Other firethorn (Pyracantha) species can look similar; check identifying features carefully before confirming the species.

Where it grows

In Australia it is recorded as naturalised in south-eastern South Australia and possibly the ACT, where it can invade dry forests and woodlands near urban areas.

Why it matters

  • It is regarded as a potentially serious environmental weed in the ACT.
  • It invades dry forests and woodlands adjacent to urban areas.
  • Its thorny growth can make access and management more difficult.
  • Fruit-eating birds and other animals can carry its seeds from gardens into bushland.

How it spreads

  • It is mainly spread from gardens into bushland by birds and other animals that eat its colourful fruit.
  • Fruit and seed-bearing plant material can contribute to spread if moved or dumped carelessly.

Control options

  • Wear protective clothing and puncture-resistant gloves; remove small plants by digging out the roots.
  • For larger plants, use a suitable registered herbicide or another approved method, following the product label and local advice.
  • Remove and dispose of fruit and treated plant material so it cannot spread; avoid dumping it in bushland or waterways.
  • Revisit the site to treat regrowth and seedlings, and check with the relevant state or territory biosecurity agency or local council for current advice.

Hygiene and washdown

  • Clean soil and plant material, including fruit, from boots, tools, vehicles and machinery before leaving an infested site.
  • Contain and dispose of fruit and seed-bearing material so animals cannot access it.
  • Inspect and clean vehicles, plant and footwear before leaving an infested area, paying attention to tyres, radiators, belly plates, tracks and floor mats.
  • Wash down at a designated bay where runoff is contained and can be monitored for seedlings.
  • Record each washdown so the client has evidence of clean entry and exit.

Classification by state

  • Australia (national): No national listing. Managed under state and territory law.
  • Queensland: Not prohibited or restricted. Not listed as prohibited or restricted matter in Queensland. Everyone must also take all reasonable and practical steps to minimise its risks (the general biosecurity obligation).
  • New South Wales: Not a priority weed. Not a state or regional priority weed in NSW. The general biosecurity duty applies: anyone dealing with it must prevent, eliminate or minimise the risk it poses.
  • Victoria: Not declared. Not declared under the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994. Other Victorian laws may still apply.
  • South Australia: Not declared. Not declared under the Landscape South Australia Act 2019. Other laws may still apply.
  • Western Australia: Permitted, not declared. Listed as a permitted organism in WA, so it can be brought in, but it is not a declared pest.
  • Tasmania: Not declared. Not a declared weed in Tasmania. Other laws may still apply.
  • Northern Territory: Check NT list. There is no NT weed profile for it. Check the NT declared weeds list for its current status.
  • Australian Capital Territory: Declared pest, prohibited. It is a declared pest throughout the ACT. Dealing with it, such as selling, moving or keeping it, is prohibited.

Legal obligations

Every state and territory places a duty on landholders and people working on land to prevent the spread of invasive species, such as the general biosecurity obligation in Queensland and the general biosecurity duty in New South Wales. Declarations and control requirements differ between states and local government areas, so check the current official list before work starts.

  • New South Wales: Biosecurity Act 2015 (NSW), administered by NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
  • Australian Capital Territory: Biosecurity Act 2023 (ACT), administered by ACT Biosecurity
  • Victoria: Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994 (Vic), administered by Agriculture Victoria
  • Tasmania: Biosecurity Act 2019 (Tas), administered by Biosecurity Tasmania
  • South Australia: Landscape South Australia Act 2019 (SA), administered by the regional landscape board

Sources