Firethorn vs Laurustinus

Firethorn and Laurustinus are often considered for the same spot in the garden (hedge, screening, pollinator friendly, specimen). The data below shows where they differ: size, hardiness, care, toxicity and price.

Firethorn

Pyracantha coccinea 3 m × 2.5 m after 10 years

A dense, fiercely thorny evergreen shrub with clusters of white flowers in late spring and masses of red or orange berries from autumn to late winter,…

Shrub

Full sun

Part shade

from about CZK 60

Laurustinus

Viburnum tinus 2 m × 2 m after 10 years

A Mediterranean evergreen viburnum with dark, glossy foliage that flowers from late autumn in mild winters, otherwise from late winter into spring:…

Shrub

Full sun

Part shade

from about CZK 380

Key differences

Firethorn grows larger: 3 m × 2.5 m after ten years, against 2 m × 2 m for Laurustinus (an estimate: sources differ).
Firethorn grows faster than Laurustinus.
Firethorn is hardier: down to -23 °C, against -12 °C for Laurustinus.
Laurustinus needs less care than Firethorn.
Firethorn has thorns, Laurustinus does not.

Which one to choose?

Firethorn is the better choice if you want quick results or the garden is cold or a frost pocket.

Laurustinus is the better choice if space is tight, you have little time for care or it goes next to a path or play area, but only in a sheltered spot with mild winters: it can freeze below -12 °C.

Watch out for

Firethorn

In Central Europe two diseases really matter. Scab blackens leaves and berries, and older varieties can lose much of their foliage by late summer. Fire blight (Erwinia amylovora) is a dangerous bacterial disease: shoot tips suddenly turn brown as if scorched, and the infection can spread to apple, pear and quince, so near fruit trees plant only resistant varieties. In hard winters without snow cover the foliage may brown or partly drop and shoots can die back, but the shrub usually resprouts in spring. Firethorn leaf miner and aphids may appear on the leaves; they are mostly cosmetic.

Laurustinus

In Central Europe winter hardiness is its weak point: shoots and flower buds are damaged below about -12 °C, and at around -15 to -17 °C the bush dies back, in a hard winter right to the ground. It usually resprouts from the base but does not flower that year, so in colder areas it belongs only in a very sheltered spot or in a tub, with the base mulched. Early morning winter sun scorches frozen leaves. Among pests the viburnum beetle chews holes in the foliage, and aphids and leaf spot also occur; in waterlogged soil it gets root rot.

The data side by side

Feature	Firethorn	Laurustinus
Group	Shrub	Shrub
Size after 10 years	3 m × 2.5 m	2 m × 2 m (uncertain)
Ultimate size	1.8–5.5 m × 1.8–5.5 m	1.8–3.6 m × 1.8–3 m
Growth rate	Fast	Medium
Light	Full sun, Part shade	Full sun, Part shade
Soil	Average garden soil, Clay, Sandy, Calcareous, Acidic	Average garden soil, Clay, Sandy, Calcareous
Hardiness	down to -23 °C (USDA 6, RHS H7)	down to -12 °C (USDA 8, RHS H5)
Heat tolerance	High (uncertain)	High
Foliage	Evergreen	Evergreen
Flowering	May–June, white	November–May, white, pink
Water need	Medium	Medium
Drought tolerance	High	High
Maintenance	Medium	Low
Planting distance	150 cm	120 cm
For dogs	Mildly toxic (uncertain)	Mildly toxic (uncertain)
For cats	Mildly toxic (uncertain)	Mildly toxic (uncertain)
For children	Mildly toxic	Mildly toxic (uncertain)
Typical price	about CZK 220 (40–60 cm)	approx. CZK 380

Prices are rounded, indicative values. Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor. Data updated: October 26, 2026

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