Fireblight - is it inevitable?

clematisdorset · March 2023

I am interested to know if fireblight is increasing across the UK and whether you would buy plants that may be susceptible to it. For instance, some varieties or cultivars of pyracanthas and cotoneaster are deemed less susceptible. Would it be better to purchase and plant these varieties or would other considerations such as benefits to pollinators and wildlife be more important? Has anyone dealt with fireblight in their own garden and was it decimating? All thoughts welcome!

bcpathome · March 2023

I’ve never heard of it and don’t know how it manifests itself .

punkdoc · March 2023

I haven't heard it is increasing, what gives you that idea?

nutcutlet · March 2023

I've never seen it

GardenerSuze · March 2023

I have seen it on Pyracantha but only once and that was years ago. I did remove the plant as it gradually got worse. I am not aware of it becoming more of a problem but plants under the kind of stress that we have seen in the last few years are obviously more vunerable to all kinds of problems.

Redwing · March 2023

I've been gardening for 45+ years and never seen it in any of my gardens.

Perki · March 2023

Seen a 2-3 cases of it last year , it the first time I've noticed it . It killed off cotoneaster and a flowering cherry has got it as well but that lives on. Its not something I'd worry about and they isn't much you can do about either seen as it can be airborne.

bcpathome · March 2023

What does it look like ? I never even heard of it ?

clematisdorset · March 2023

Thank you everyone. It may be I was overly-concerned due to seeing 'fireblight resistant' labels on plants I have been researching in a view to buy from online suppliers. I am not really in a position to travel to nurseries or garden centres.

@Perki may I ask whereabouts in the UK you saw the cases last year please, and whether the plants were situated in an area where they received much rain/strong windy conditions?

I don't think I have seen it either, @bcpathomethe. The RHS states:

In warm, wet and windy weather in spring, bacteria ooze out of the cankers. Infections occur when the bacterium gains entry to the inner bark, usually via the blossoms, and it is spread by wind-blown rain and also by insects including bees.

It goes on to say:

Fireblight chiefly affects those members of the Rosaceae family producing a type of fruit known as a pome fruit: apples, pears and related ornamentals including Cotoneaster, Sorbus, Crataegus (hawthorn), Photinia (syn. Stransvaesia) and Pyracantha

I already have Sorbus in my garden & Amelanchier, but am considering a Cotoneaster and or Pyracantha and so wish to avoid attracting problems in my garden, especially as the wind and rain rush in strongly from the west, blowing plants closer to one another. I do have a Photinia which has never looked very healthy and I have heavily pruned that and may remove it as a precaution.

Perki · March 2023

I am in the North west on the southern Pennines more of a spur off the main belt but yes plenty of rain / wind and I did see it in April .
I go to plenty of gardens with pyracantha - cotoneaster etc with no problems , I really wouldn't let fireblight put you off a plant you want . I have a few of the plants you've mentioned they doing fine . The photinia probably got leaf spot its hard to find one that hasn't got it.

bcpathome · March 2023

Thank you for explaining about what to look for . I have a huge cotoneaster which came with the house 35 years ago …..I should hate to lose it after all this time . Have to say ,it’s slow to get going this year but aren’t most plants . It’s usually greened up by now but has only just begun .As long as it’s not a sign of any disease I’m happy .

Fireblight - is it inevitable?

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