I've been searching for some Scarlet Firethorn (pyracantha) for my mother in law. She really wants this shrub. If anyone has seeds please email me. Thanks =)

i believe you can grow pyracantha in Zone 5, but some of the cultivars are hardier than others. They stand a better chance of surviving the winter in a sheltered location, but don't place them near a doorway because of the thorns. Robins love them. I recommend buying them from a nursery - the plants don't like to be moved. I think you would have better luck buying it locally from a reputable garden center either in a container or balled and burlapped. Discount stores may sell them, but they may not be the hardy cultivars. Weigela can bloom the first year planted. It can suffer some dieback in hard winters, just trim back any damaged wood in the spring. They're easy to grow and are attractive to hummingbirds.

that is for sure Pyracantha. The "other" hawthorn, Crataegus, has never that many showy berries. Growth habit is different, Pyracantha, especially when pruned regularly, will produce long, leggy shoots, with short branches positioned at a more or less 90degree angle, (and is mostly a shrub) leaves are smaller, more shiny and -at least in my zone 7- almost evergreen, lasting even till after some light frost. Crataegus is a large group (genus) with many species, several grow like small trees, some like shrubs they tend to be more densly branched, berries on the red side (Cant remeber finding yellow or orange berries like with Pyracantha) the berries tend to grow on the tips of the branches, not over the whole length of young shoots foliage of Cr. is quite often ( coarsly) serrated they do have thicker, shorter thorns (Crataegus monogyna), some even much larger and sprouting from the stem (C crus-galli) personally I would say clipping a Pyracantha hedge (thorns go through leather pants and parts can break off...) is worse than pruning Crataegus monogyna or the small tree Cr. Pauls`s Scarlet. well, some others can chip in hopefully, bye, Lin

Pyracantha coccinea is the botanical name