Transplanting a Pyracantha

sabeeha · June 2020

Hello and good morning!

I have a pyracantha in my north-west facing garden.

It is currently single stemmed, but the main stem is thick, so I don’t think it’s new but not super old either - as a beginner can’t estimate 😑

How do these take to transplanting?

It is currently besides a holly tree, and also next to a fence which has yew trees; to it has some light, but it is not dark.

Could I possibly move it to a south-east facing wall (in front of the house)?

Or is it too risky? It’s just I don’t really see it suited to where it is - it’s crowded and I would probably not want it to get fully established there.

If I were to move it, how would I be digging it out? I don’t know how the roots would be etc

Would appreciate your thoughts - thank you!

sabeeha · June 2020

KeenOnGreen · June 2020

They can become substantial in size, so I wouldn't plant one up against a house wall. They prefer full sun, so South East would be fine. Like most shrubs, you should move them in either early Spring, or better still, late Autumn.

If you can wait till Autumn, then I would suggest preparing the new planting hole first, and this should include some well-rotted compost or manure. Water the plant very well, and leave for an hour, so it is less stressed. The rootball will probably extend out to roughly the same width as the foliage, so assume this when you are digging it out. Try to get as much root as you can, with as minimum damage as possible.

Once in it's new site, water it well. You may need to temporarily stake it, as Winter wind-rock may loosen it. Unless you have a very dry Winter, you shouldn't need to water it after a month or so from transplanting. Winter rains will help to get it established.

Buttercupdays · June 2020

Do you have a suit of armour? There is no way I would choose to wrestle with it, they are well armed!

That looks very well established to me and a happy plant, no obvious reason to move it, when it would be bound to suffer some damage. In any case, now is not the time, you would need to wait until later in the autumn and the berries will be looking lovely then. Far better to get rid of the bramble and the other weeds, tidy up a little, trim the yew hedge, and then later move that Hypericum (that can go in the front if you have space there) and make a feature of it. The birds will thank you for it, they like the berries and it makes a really secure place to hide or nest.

If you are concerned about its size, you can prune it in spring after it has flowered, when you can cut back some of the old stems that don't have flowers. That way you get to keep the berries

Fairygirl · June 2020

I'd agree with @Buttercupdays. That would be a very difficult job, and no guarantee it would survive.
I have two along my boundary - covered in buds just now, about to open. They've been there about 6 years. I wouldn't want to tackle moving them!
They will be humming with the sound of bees in few days

You can grow them against house walls no problem. I've seen some cloud pruned in that situation, which - although you sacrifice the flowers/berries, look terrific.

sabeeha · June 2020

Thank you keenongreen - lots of good tips on how to successfully move it - I had wanted to place it near a front garden gate and shape it up and around - good for security as well!

Buttercupdays - thank you - lol yes, i would need to be well protected!

Yes it is happy. It’s just that I have another much larger and established one and it looks amazing, I was feeling it would not reach its full potential in its current position. It would encroach the holly tree and there are already the Yew trees so was thinking of competition...

Fairygirl - thank you, yes, I love how they look trained up walls - i thought it would be possible to move it as it isn’t huge but would be very upset if I lost it, so was unsure.

Thank you! 💐

Transplanting a Pyracantha

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