Seasonal weather, autumnal scenes Firethorn, or Pyracantha, is an evergreen shrub known for its clusters of bright red, orange, or yellow berries that provide food for birds in autumn and winter. These berries, along with the plant s glossy green leaves and white flowers, offer year-round interest to gardens. While commonly used for security hedges, espaliers, or as a specimen plant, the berries are inedible for humans due to a bitter taste caused by hydrogen cyanide in the seeds, Credit:Geoffrey Swaine Avalon UK, Oxfordshire, Dunsden