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False Spike-thorn
Putterlickia pyracantha
SA tree no: 403.1
English: False Spike-thorn, Fire-thorn Putterlickia, False Maytenus, Holly Spikethorn
Afrikaans: Valspendoring, Pendoring, Branddoring
Xhosa: intlangwana, umhlangwe, umqaqoba
Zulu: Isihlungu, Umkhangazi
Historical scientific names: Gymnosporia pyracantha, Maytenus pyracantha, Celastrus pyracanthus, Catha pyracantha
Putterlickia pyracantha, commonly known as Spikethorn or Pendoring, is a hardy indigenous evergreen shrub or small tree widely distributed across the southern and eastern parts of South Africa. It is highly valued for its dense, thorny nature, attractive glossy green foliage, small white flowers, and bright red or orange berries. Its formidable thorns make it an excellent choice for security hedging, while its aesthetic qualities and ability to attract birds ensure its place as a versatile and valuable addition to a variety of garden styles, especially in coastal and bushveld settings.
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Distinguishing features
An evergreen shrub or small tree with a dense, often scrambling or upright growth habit.
Distinctively thorny, with straight, sharp spines borne in the leaf axils.
Features glossy, dark green, leathery leaves that are typically oval or elliptic.
Produces small, white to creamy-white flowers in dense clusters.
Bears bright red or orange, fleshy, spherical berries that are highly attractive to birds.
Highly adaptable and tolerant of a range of conditions, including coastal exposure and some frost.
Overall appearance:
Putterlickia pyracantha forms a dense, often impenetrable, thorny bush or a small, multi-stemmed tree with a rounded crown. Its rich, glossy green leaves provide a lush backdrop, beautifully contrasted by sprays of small white flowers and then abundant bright red or orange berries that provide a cheerful display for many months.
Height:
Typically grows 1.5 to 5 metres tall, but can reach up to 7 metres as a small tree in sheltered conditions.
Width:
Forms a dense, spreading bush, usually 1 to 4 metres wide, depending on pruning and conditions.
Leaves:
Simple, alternate or fascicled (clustered) in the axils of spines, typically in pairs or threes.
Shape is oval, elliptic, obovate (spoon-shaped), or sometimes nearly round, 1–6 cm long.
They are thick, leathery, and glossy dark green on the upper surface, paler beneath, with entire (smooth) or finely toothed margins.
Flowers:
Small, inconspicuous, 5-petalled, white to creamy-white.
Borne in dense clusters (cymes) in the leaf axils.
Possess a faint, sweet fragrance.
Flowering season:
Flowers mainly in spring to early summer, typically from September to December.
Fruits:
Small, spherical, fleshy berries (drupes), about 5–8 mm in diameter.
Ripen from green to bright red or orange.
Persist on the tree for many months, providing long-lasting colour.
Each fruit contains 1 to 3 seeds.
Seeds:
Small, hard, ovoid, typically dark brown or black. Dispersed by birds.
Bark:
Smooth and grey on younger stems, becoming rougher and darker (greyish-brown) with age.
Stems:
Multiple slender, often rigid stems that branch to form a dense, thorny shrub or small tree. Young stems are smooth and brownish-green.
Wood:
The wood is hard and dense, not typically used for commercial timber but can be used for smaller items.
Thorns:
Yes, a key distinguishing feature. Straight, sharp, woody spines (modified branchlets) are typically borne in the leaf axils, 1–4 cm long. These make the plant an excellent security hedge.
Roots:
Possesses a fibrous root system that is generally non-invasive.
Soil type:
Highly adaptable to a wide range of well-drained soils, including sandy, loamy, and even rocky soils. It tolerates poor soil fertility and thrives in fertile conditions.
Aspect:
Thrives in full sun for best flowering and fruiting, but can tolerate partial shade. It is highly tolerant of drought once established, as well as strong winds and coastal conditions (salt spray). It is moderately frost-hardy, tolerating light to moderate frost, but severe frost may damage young plants or cause defoliation.
Edibility:
The fruits are not considered edible for humans. While they are consumed by birds, there are reports of the fruits being purgative or causing stomach upset if ingested by humans.
Toxicity:
Generally considered mildly toxic if ingested in quantity. The fruits are not for human consumption and can cause stomach upset. Otherwise, no significant toxicity from casual contact.
Uses:
Security Hedge: Its dense, thorny nature makes it an excellent choice for an impenetrable security hedge around properties.
Ornamental Plant: Valued for its attractive glossy foliage, small white flowers, and long-lasting display of bright red/orange berries. Used in mixed borders, as a specimen shrub, or in coastal gardens.
Wildlife Garden: The berries are highly attractive to a wide variety of fruit-eating birds (e.g., bulbuls, turacos, white-eyes, starlings), making it a valuable plant for attracting avian biodiversity.
Coastal Gardens: One of the best indigenous thorny plants for exposed coastal sites due to its excellent salt and wind tolerance.
Pioneer Plant: Its hardiness and adaptability make it useful in ecological restoration and revegetation projects, particularly in degraded areas.
Ecology:
Pollination: The small, scented flowers attract various insects, including bees, which are important pollinators.
Seed Dispersal: The brightly coloured, fleshy fruits are a major food source for numerous bird species, which consume the fruits and disperse the seeds through their droppings (endozoochory).
Habitat Provision: Provides shelter and protective nesting sites for birds due to its dense, thorny growth.
Distribution and habitat:
Putterlickia pyracantha is widely distributed along the southern and eastern parts of South Africa.
South African Provinces: Western Cape, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, North West. Also extends into Swaziland.
Habitat: Found in a wide variety of habitats, including coastal forests, dune bush, evergreen forests, fynbos, grasslands, rocky slopes, and bushveld. It is particularly common in coastal and dry, thorny scrub areas.
Derivation of name:
The genus name Putterlickia honours Alois Putterlick (1810-1883), an Austrian botanist.
The species epithet pyracantha is derived from the Greek words 'pyr' meaning "fire," and 'akanthos' meaning "thorn," referring to its fiery red/orange berries and thorny nature, much like the genus Pyracantha (firethorn).
Common names like "Spikethorn" and "Pendoring" (Afrikaans for thorn tree) directly refer to its thorns.
Historical aspects:
Putterlickia pyracantha has been a common and resilient component of South African ecosystems for centuries. Its natural hardiness and formidable thorns have made it a practical choice for livestock control and boundary markers in rural areas. In modern landscaping, its dual utility as a security plant and an attractive, wildlife-friendly garden subject ensures its continued relevance as a valuable indigenous species.
Interesting facts
This "Spikethorn" tree is a natural security system for your garden, armed with sharp, straight thorns that make it an impenetrable barrier!
Despite its prickly demeanor, it puts on a beautiful show with masses of bright red or orange berries that cling to its branches for months, making it a feast for birds.
Its scientific name pyracantha literally means "fire-thorn," referring to its fiery berries and sharp thorns, a perfect description of this tough beauty.
Growing tips
Propagation: Best propagated from fresh seeds (clean the pulp off before sowing), though germination can be slow and erratic. Can also be propagated from semi-hardwood cuttings, which are generally more reliable for gardeners.
Planting: Prefers a position in full sun for best growth and fruiting, but tolerates partial shade. Highly adaptable to various well-drained soil types.
Watering: Water regularly when young to establish. Once established, it is highly drought-tolerant and requires minimal watering.
Frost: Moderately frost-hardy, tolerating light to moderate frost. Young plants may need protection in severely cold areas.
Maintenance: Low maintenance. Responds very well to pruning, making it ideal for shaping into formal or informal security hedges. It can be pruned heavily if needed.
Pests/Diseases: Generally robust and pest-free.
This plant is a fantastic alternative for:
Common name
Scientific Name
Plant type:
Evergreen, tree or shrub
Plant family:
Celastraceae (Greek plant name) - Order: Celastrales