Common Name: Pyracantha/Osteomeles hybrid
Type: Broadleaf evergreen
Family: Rosaceae
Zone: 6 to 9
Height: 1.00 to 3.00 feet
Spread: 1.00 to 3.00 feet
Bloom Time: Non-flowering
Bloom Description: No flowers or fruit
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Dry to medium
Maintenance: Low
Suggested Use: Hedge
Leaf: Evergreen
Other: Winter Interest
Culture
Grown in average, dry to medium moisture, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Best in fertile soils with sharp drainage. Good tolerance for clay soils as well as drought conditions. Best sited in protected areas sheltered from cold winds when grown in the coldest part of its hardiness range where tip die-back is possible. Propagate with softwood cuttings.
Noteworthy Characteristics
× Pyracomeles is a hybrid genus resulting from an intergeneric cross between two members the Rosaceae (rose) family: Pyracantha and Osteomeles. The first recorded hybrid was a chance cross between Pyracantha crenatoserrata and Osteomeles subrotunda discovered in France in the 1920s at the Vilmorin-Andrieux plant and seed company headquartered just outside of Paris. It is often referred to as × Pyracomeles vilmorinii and remains popular in cultivation. × Pyracomeles hybrids lack thorns and have pinnatisect leaves (lobed leaves with sinuses reaching the midvein and lobes lacking petiolules). The lobes are mostly entire but can have small, irregular teeth and the tips are mostly apiculate (terminating in a small, sharp point). Corymbs of white blooms are followed by small, coral-red fruits.
The hybrid name Pyracomeles is a combination of the names of the two parent genera: Pyracantha and Osteomeles.
'NCXP1' is a compact selection of × Pyracomeles with a dense, multi-stemmed form and a spreading to rounded growth habit. Mature specimens will reach around 1-3' tall with a similar spread. Pyracantha crenatoserrata 'Cherri Berri' and an unnamed selection of × Pyracomeles vilmorinii were utilized in the breeding work to create this selection. The thornless stems hold glossy, elliptic to oblong, evergreen leaves that will reach around 0.5-1" long and 0.25-0.5" wide. 'NCXP1' has not been observed flowering or fruiting. Commonly sold at nurseries and garden centers under the name JUKE BOX. This plant is protected by patent number PP31409.
Problems
Susceptible to apple scab, fireblight and various wilts. Potential insect pests include aphids, lacebugs and scale.
Uses
Low hedge, edger, small specimen or grouping. Can be pruned to shape, although it is not required.