Photinia ‘Red Robin’ is a vibrant hedging variety consisting of glossy dark green leaves that transform into ruby red leaves as the seasons change. Creating a captivating look to any driveway or garden, Photinia is highly suited to those who crave a more multi-tonal look to their hedge. We supply our Photinia hedging in 9cm potted plants which will give you a typical total height of around 20cm-40cm per plant. Our pot grown plants arrive ready for you to plot out your new hedge with ease. Buy Photinia hedging at Gardeners Dream and receive free delivery on UK mainland orders. You’ll also find a range of handy tools and accessories to help you with everything from planting your hedge to maintaining it over time.
Also known as Photinia Red Robin, Fraseri Red Robin or Photinia x Fraseri Red (depending on the variety), Photinia hedging is best known for its vibrant colour changing leaves.
Photinia originates from the Greek word photeinos and is in reference to the shiny glossy leaves found in its lush foliage. The leaves are not tightly packed creating a relaxed look to the hedge.
A firm favourite with gardening experts, Photinia was awarded the prestigious RHS Award of Garden Merit. The standard a plant variety must reach to in order receive this award includes being excellent for ordinary use in reasonable conditions, being of good constitution, being stable in form and colour along with being reasonably resistant to pests and diseases.
In the following guide, we will explain everything you should expect with a Photinia hedge. Please note, that our guide is based on the Photinia Red Robin Bushy Evergreen Hardy Shrub Hedging, unless otherwise stated.
However, if you would like to find out any information about our other Photinia varieties including Photinia Pink Crispy, Photinia x Fraseri Louise or Photinia x Fraseri Red Robin - Christmas Berry Hedging Plant, please get in touch and we’d be happy to talk you through the specifics of each plant.
Boundaries
Privacy screening
Statement hedging
Photinias have a maximum height of around 4 metres (13ft). Although, they have an average growth rate for hedges making it easy to keep your hedge to a more modest height.
In fact, many homeowners select a Photinia for the very reason that they are easily maintained. All while providing a stunning array of colours as the hedge develops from green to red leaves throughout the seasons.
Photinias provide a great level of privacy due to being abundant in dense foliage. Compared with a fence or metal railings as two common examples, a hedge is always going to provide more privacy.
There are other hedge varieties that can grow even taller than Photinias, but typically a boundary hedge that divides a neighbouring property is kept to a more modest height.
Therefore, if you are looking to achieve a similar height to a fence but gain more privacy, Photinias make for a fantastic choice.
Photinia has an average growth rate of 30cm per year. This is a fairly average growth rate for hedging used for boundaries or privacy screening.
So long as you undertake a yearly prune of your Photinia, the height is easily maintained.
Alternatively, you can scale back on the pruning to allow your Photinia to reach its maximum height, depending on the available space and your personal preference.
Chalky
Clay
Peaty
Stony
Photinias can be planted at any time of the year, so long as the soil offers the perfect balance of being watered soil yet well drained soil for younger plants.
Although, the very best time to plant a Photinia is between autumn and spring, as this avoids panting in both the harsher frozen ground in winter and the scorched ground in summer.
Photinia Red Robin can be planted as a hedge or as an evergreen shrub.
When planting Photinia hedging, choose a spot that boasts fertile, humus rich soil. Ideally, the soil should have moisture but at the same time offer excellent drainage.
Photinias are tolerant of the majority of soil types including acidic and alkaline soils. Although, for clay soils, we do advise adding garden compost into the soil to infuse plenty of nutrients for young shoots.
Other Photinia species including Photinia Beauverdiana and Photinia Villosa prefer neutral or acidic soil and will not grow in chalky soil.
As always, if in doubt about the suitability of your soil for any plant you wish to purchase from us, please drop us a message for tailored advice from one of our Gardening experts.
Photinias can tolerate south or west facing planting positions. This includes planting in sunny spots or partial shade, with the flowers and leaf colour flourishing best when planted in full sun.
Do be aware that young plants dislike frost or strong winds, so avoid planting Photinias in exposed sites. A good alternative for colder sites is to plant Photinias as a wall shrub, as the plants will thrive given the extra shelter and warmth.
The root system of Photinias can vary, depending on your planting preferences. While it’s possible to find Photinia Red Robin in the form of a root ball plant, here at Gardeners Dream we supply our Photinias in pots.
Photinia steps away from the traditional look and feel of a hedge to give you crisp red leaves as the season's change. All without losing many of the perks of opting for a hedge, such as providing great privacy screening benefits.
Considering opting for a Photinia Red Robin hedge? Here are some of the top benefits that could make Photinia the right choice for your garden.
Want to add a hedge to your outside space, but worried about endless pruning and trimming? Often, when people think of hedging, conifers, along with their high maintenance requirements immediately spring to mind.
However, not all hedge varieties are the same in terms of growth rate and Photinia is one such example. With a growth rate of 30cm per year, only one annual trim is required with Photinia hedging.
Although, if you do want to prolong the red leaves, some optional pruning can also take place - but this is completely down to preference.
Otherwise, you can sit back, relax and enjoy your beautiful Photinia hedging.
Did you know it’s possible to select a hedge by its colour? So often, we think of hedges in terms of height, foliage type and growth rate. But hedges can also provide a spectacular array of colours beyond the typical green, and Photinia Red Robin is no exception.
As one of the more vibrant hedge varieties grown in the UK, a Photinia will also produce a beautiful array of small white flowers in the spring, as well as bright red berries that cluster around the plant.
Photinia can be used to add interest to an otherwise low key outdoor space, just as it can frame the most abundantly floral gardens.
Want to replace your ageing or unsightly fence with a beautiful hedge? Arguably, any of our hedges could be suited to the job.
However, Photinias are easy to maintain, which makes them especially ideal for boundary hedging separating your garden from your neighbours.
Photinia hedging boasts dark green leaves, which creates instant privacy screening. Pruning can help a Photinia hedge retain its leaves and colouring for longer, meaning your boundary will always remain in place.
Gardeners World reports that Photinia species including Photinia Red Robin do not pose any health threats to animals or wildlife. This is unlike some hedging varieties, whereby the berries may be poisonous.
For any homeowner with pets, Photinia could make for a safer alternative to other hedging types.
That said, it’s always good to remember to not to actively encourage the eating of any outdoor plant unless it’s been strictly listed as edible.
We’ve answered some of the most common questions about Photinia hedging below.
But if you have any further queries, we’re always on hand to help you with your purchase.
Please use our contact form or drop us a message on Facebook or Instagram, and one of our team will get back to you.
Photinia makes for a delightful hedge for those who crave dramatic colour changes with their hedge. A Photinia Red Robin hedge is not invasive and is easy to maintain, making it perfect for residential gardens.
Photinias in general offer something different from the norm. So they make for a good hedge for those who want to create a statement rather than blend in with the rest of the street.
Photinia thrives when planted in the sun or partial shade. Avoid planting individual plants in very shady conditions.
Photinias also dislike damp or windy conditions. Late frosts can damage young plants in the spring, so inspect the ground conditions to determine the best spot for your new hedge.
Photinia is widely grown in Australia just as it is here in the UK, so many Australians assume Photinia is a native plant. However, this is not the case as Photinia is native to Asia.
The good news is that if you’d like to continue the Asian theme throughout your garden, we stock many plants that are native to Asia but also flourish here in the UK too.
Photinia x Fraseri Red Robin is known as a vigorous cultivar, although with a maximum yearly growth rate of 30cm, it has a similar if not slightly slower growth rate to most other hedges.
In fact, other hedge types including Yew or Green Beech can have growth rates of between 40cm and 60cm. Therefore, Photinia is easier to maintain so long as it gets its yearly prune.
A Photinia Red Robin hedge can grow to a height of around 4 meters. Although given the yearly growth rate is 30cm, it’s easy to maintain a lower height.
If you prefer a taller hedge and want to retain the colour changing properties of a Photinia, then you can simply let your hedge grow to the desired height.
To encourage healthy plants, choose a spot that is prone to the sun or partial shade, as Photinia plants take well in either of these conditions.
The planting distance for Photinia hedges depends on how the young plants have been grown.
Photinias with root ball hedging can have a spacing of between 3 and 7 plants per meter.
Here at Gardeners Dream, we supply our Photinia Red Robin hedging in pot grown plants. These can have a space of between 4 and 6 plants per meter.
Where a higher density of plants is used per meter, a double staggered row or zig-zag formation is advisable.
It’s best to prune Photinia Red Robin hedges anywhere from spring to August.
It’s best not to undertake heavy pruning on Photinias, as this can leave them vulnerable to autumn frosts. As well as avoiding pruning between late August and early spring, Photinias should be given minimal pruning when they are clipped back.
If you are dealing with an overgrown Photinia, we’d advise getting in touch with us or contacting a professional to ensure your hedge can be brought back under control, but in a way that won’t harm the plant.
The best way to encourage any hedge to grow faster is to plant it in suitable soil conditions depending on the variety. Photinia thrives in fertile humus rich soil.
We recommend adding some quality compost into the ground before planting young hedge plants, which will give them the best chance of establishing well.
The scarlet red shoots of a Photinia can be prolonged with some light pruning. Do this as soon as the colour starts to fade, which will encourage the growth of new shoots to ensure continual vibrancy.
In terms of the hedge plant itself, Photinias are fairly low maintenance but will require watering regularly in the first two years after planting. If you plant your Photinia as a wall shrub and it is sheltered from rainfall, then it will also need extra watering throughout its life.
Ensure your Photinia is not exposed to frost or wind damage as this may kill new shoots and cause leaf spots or yellowing leaves. If either of these issues occurs, the plant may need to be repositioned to a more suitable location.
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