The Lemon Fool

DAK how one can tell if a plant is sterile? I have a potentially invasive pyracantha spp in the garden; the rules where I live are that if it is a sterile cultivar then it's legal but if not it must be destroyed.

It's a very mature plant, probably 20 years old or more dating from before we bought the property. I don't mind it because it flowers and has attractive crimson berries in late summer so if it's sterile I'd like to keep it. So how does one tell if it's sterile? Are the berries sufficient evidence that it is not? It produces thousands of them each year but I can't see any evidence of seedlings around the plant or elsewhere nearby. Or should I just remove it to be on the safe side?

GS

GoSeigen wrote:DAK how one can tell if a plant is sterile? I have a potentially invasive pyracantha spp in the garden; the rules where I live are that if it is a sterile cultivar then it's legal but if not it must be destroyed.

It's a very mature plant, probably 20 years old or more dating from before we bought the property. I don't mind it because it flowers and has attractive crimson berries in late summer so if it's sterile I'd like to keep it. So how does one tell if it's sterile? Are the berries sufficient evidence that it is not? It produces thousands of them each year but I can't see any evidence of seedlings around the plant or elsewhere nearby. Or should I just remove it to be on the safe side?

GS

I'm not an expert but pyracantha are hermaphrodite AFAIK, so if they produce flowers and berries they are likely not sterile. Possibly the reason that you do not see seedlings is that the seeds need to pass through a bird's gut to germinate or at least need cold stratification.

RC

ReformedCharacter wrote:

GoSeigen wrote:DAK how one can tell if a plant is sterile? I have a potentially invasive pyracantha spp in the garden; the rules where I live are that if it is a sterile cultivar then it's legal but if not it must be destroyed.

It's a very mature plant, probably 20 years old or more dating from before we bought the property. I don't mind it because it flowers and has attractive crimson berries in late summer so if it's sterile I'd like to keep it. So how does one tell if it's sterile? Are the berries sufficient evidence that it is not? It produces thousands of them each year but I can't see any evidence of seedlings around the plant or elsewhere nearby. Or should I just remove it to be on the safe side?

GS

I'm not an expert but pyracantha are hermaphrodite AFAIK, so if they produce flowers and berries they are likely not sterile. Possibly the reason that you do not see seedlings is that the seeds need to pass through a bird's gut to germinate or at least need cold stratification.

RC

Thank you, after a bit more reading the decision has been made and they are gone. Turns out there were a few of them around the place, no doubt from seeds spread by birds or animals. All chopped down now...


GS