Photinia Care Guide: How to Grow and Maintain Photinia Shrubs

Photinia Care

Photinia care is about making sure the plants are thriving. Our plant care articles provide the necessary details to give you the greatest chance of success. Afterall, there is nothing worse than putting the effort into planting for them to fail. Therefore, follow our advice for Photinia care and give yourself the best chance of success.

How To Care For Photinia

The most important part starts with planting, and our article, How To Plant Photinia, provides sound advice on how to do this properly. So, let’s now assume your plant is growing well and you want to keep it that way!

Winter is the perfect time for mulching your plants. Organic matter such as compost or sheep pellets should be spread liberally around the plants and then overlaid with mulch. The Plant Company has three very good options for mulch. The first is coco fibre matting which is made from the husks of coconuts. The second is Earth Mat which is made from recycled paper. Both of these break down to become part of the soil within two years. The third is black plastic matting which will last 20 years or more. Whichever mulch is used, The Plant Company recommend stones, bark chip, or other similar products be spread over top for aesthetic purposes. The Plant Company does not recommend adding fertiliser during winter as this is better applied in spring so less is wasted. However, adding organic matter such as compost is quite okay.

Spring is the perfect time for fertilising the plants as they start to bounce into life. The Plant Company has fertilisers which have been specially blended for different plants and in this instance, our Shrub Fertiliser will give them the correct boost and keep them fed for 12-months. A suitable alternative is our organic fertiliser which will also keep them well fed but they will require a secondary application in autumn.

Summer is when the plants need regular watering and this should be undertaken every second day on the hottest days. Plants that are establishing need particular attention as their root system will not have penetrated deep enough to secure consistent moisture yet.

Caring for Photinia in autumn is about keeping the plants healthy. Foliar feeding using a liquid fertiliser can be undertaken during spring, summer, and autumn if you have time but this is not essential if solid fertiliser and/or good amounts of organic matter have already been applied. If you think the plants need an extra boost or have some yellowing, however, a liquid fertiliser won’t hurt.

Plants should be checked for pest or disease issues during spring, summer, and autumn. If anything is looking a little bit unusual, refer to our articles under Photinia Issues And Troubleshooting.

How To Care For Photinia In Autumn

Caring for Photinia in autumn is all about weed control and keeping the plants healthy. Keeping the weeds down around the plant and removing poor looking stems and leaves will help keep the plants tidy.

Foliar feeding using a liquid fertiliser can be undertaken if you have time but this is not essential if solid fertiliser and/or good amounts of organic matter have previously been applied. If you think the plants need an extra boost or have some yellowing, however, a liquid fertiliser application won’t hurt. A great benefit of foliar feeding is that it helps keep the leaves strong which will aid the plant immensely as it shoots new growth in spring. You can apply Shrub Fertiliser but this should only be done it if can be watered in well.

Finally, monitor for pests and diseases, and if anything is looking a little bit unusual, refer to our articles under Photinia Issues And Troubleshooting.

How To Care For Photinia In Spring

Spring is the perfect time for fertilising and mulching around Photinia as they start to bounce into life. The Plant Company has fertilisers which have been specially blended for different plants and in this instance, our Shrub Fertiliser will give them the correct boost and keep them fed for 12-months. A suitable alternative is our organic fertiliser which will also keep them well fed but they will require a secondary application in autumn.

Organic matter such as compost or sheep pellets should be spread liberally around the plants and then overlaid with a mulch (if not done already) during winter or spring. The Plant Company recommends an organic mulch is used as this breaks down over time to provide nutrients and improves the soil. The Plant Company has three very good options for mulch. The first is coco fibre matting which is made from the husks of coconuts. The second is Earth Mat which is made from recycled paper. Both of these break down to become part of the soil within two years. The third is black plastic matting which will last 20 years or more. Whichever mulch is used, The Plant Company recommend stones, bark chip, or other similar products be spread over top for aesthetic purposes.

Foliar feeding using a liquid fertiliser can be undertaken if you have time but this is not essential if solid fertiliser and/or good amounts of organic matter have already been applied. If you think the plants need an extra boost or have some yellowing, however, a liquid fertiliser won’t hurt. If anything is looking a little bit unusual, refer to our articles under Photinia Issues And Troubleshooting.

How To Care For Photinia In Summer

Summer is when the plants need regular watering and this should be undertaken every second or third day on the hottest days. Plants that are establishing need particular attention as their root system will not have penetrated deep enough to secure consistent moisture yet.

Foliar feeding using a liquid fertiliser can be undertaken if you have time but this is not essential if solid fertiliser and/or good amounts of organic matter have previously been applied. If you think the plants need an extra boost or have some yellowing, however, a liquid fertiliser application won’t hurt. A great benefit of foliar feeding is that it helps keep the leaves strong and encourages more foliage as the nutrition is right where the plant needs it. Please note: The Plant Company does not recommend using solid fertilisers at this time of year unless plenty of water can be applied.

The other required activities for Photinia during summer are weed control and monitoring for pests and diseases. Keeping the weeds down around the plant will produce a better plant overall. If anything is looking a little bit unusual, refer to our articles under Photinia Issues And Troubleshooting.

How To Care For Photinia In Winter

Caring for Photinia in winter is all about weed control and keeping the plants healthy. Keeping the weeds down around the plant and removing poorly stems will help keep the plants tidy.

Foliar feeding using a liquid fertiliser can be undertaken if you have time but this is not essential if solid fertiliser and/or good amounts of organic matter have previously been applied. If you think the plants need an extra boost or have some yellowing, however, a liquid fertiliser application won’t hurt. A great benefit of foliar feeding is that it helps keep the leaves strong which will aid the plant immensely as it shoots new growth in spring. You can apply Shrub Fertiliser but this should only be done it if can be watered in well and is best held off until spring.

Finally, monitor for pests and diseases, and if anything is looking a little bit unusual, refer to our articles under Photinia Issues And Troubleshooting.

Photinia Fertiliser

Providing the best fertiliser for Photinia is important to ensure the plants thrive. The correct fertiliser depends on whether the plant is grown in a pot or in soil, and getting this wrong can be disastrous for your plants. Our articles provide the best advice about fertiliser for your Photinia plants, including Red Robins, so you can achieve the amazing results you desire.

Best Fertiliser For Photinia

Photinia require feeding to keep them growing optimally. The Plant Company's Shrub Fertiliser has been blended to give plants the boost they need and then sustained nutrition for the next 12 months. We recommend the fertiliser is applied to the soil surface in spring just as the plants start to grow actively. More importantly, we advise that no fertiliser is placed in the hole at planting, but rather spread around the soil surface so it can wash through the roots as it releases. The Plant Company's Shrub Fertiliser ensures that nutrients remain in the soil around the plant rather than being lost through the soil profile to where the plant cannot reach it. This also applies to plants grown on sandy soils. The Plant Company's Shrub Fertiliser is therefore very environmentally friendly and longer lasting than most other products in the market.

Foliar feeding using a liquid fertiliser can be undertaken if you have time but this is not essential if Shrub Fertiliser has been applied. If you think the plants need an extra boost or have some yellowing, however, a liquid fertiliser application won’t hurt. A great benefit of foliar feeding is that it helps keep the leaves strong and lush.

Best Fertiliser For Photinia Grown In A Pot

Photinia grown in containers require different fertiliser to those grown outdoors in soil. In this instance the correct fertiliser to use is either container plant fertiliser or fertiliser tablets. Each of these will provide safe, sustained, and complete nutrition to the plant for the next 12-months. Using other types of fertilisers can be detrimental to the plant and may result in plant injury or death.

Foliar feeding using a liquid fertiliser can be undertaken if you have time but this is not essential if container plant fertiliser or fertiliser tablets have been used. If you think the plant needs an extra boost or has some yellowing, however, a liquid fertiliser application won’t hurt. A great benefit of foliar feeding is that it helps keep the leaves strong and lush as the nutrition is right where the plant needs it.

Best Organic Fertiliser For Photinia

Photinia are showy plants that do require feeding to keep them looking amazing. A lot of articles have all sorts of advice on this subject which often requires multiple applications so you use more of their products. The Plant Company prefers to take a simpler and more environmentally responsible approach. We believe the best organic option is The Plant Company organic fertiliser which is applied in spring and again in autumn and will keep them well fed. You can safely apply generous amounts of this fertiliser without risk of injuring the plants. More details about this organic fertiliser are provided with the product.

Best Soil pH For Photinia

The soil pH refers to how acid or alkaline the soil is. Photinia prefer a soil pH within the range of 6.5 to 7.5 which means they can tolerate both slightly acidic and slightly alkaline soils. As the pH of the soil moves away from this optimum range, the nutrients the plant is taking up (or not taking up) through the roots changes. If the shift in pH is too far, this can result in deficiencies of some nutrients and toxic levels of others. In either case this can cause the plant to become sick or even die a slow death.

The best way to know whether the pH is correct for your plant is to do a test. The Plant Company has pH test kits available that are easy to use and only take a few minutes to get a result. Preferably this test should be completed before planting so any pH issues can be corrected without risking the plant. A pH less 6 should have sparing amounts of dolomite lime applied along with Shrub Fertiliser. A pH above 7.5 should have small amounts of soil acidifying fertiliser applied. In both instances the fertiliser should be thoroughly mixed into the soil before planting. A retest of the soil pH should be undertaken after four weeks and small adjustments made again. If the pH is in the optimum range, just use Shrub Fertiliser thereafter.

Photinia Planting And Growing

Planting Photinia and getting them growing well is generally easy when you get a few of the basics right. This involves planting them in the right soil type, choosing the most ideal planting position, selecting the best variety, and ensuring the plants have the essentials to thrive. The Plant Company has the right advice to ensure success whether you are growing a Photinia hedge, or growing them as individual plants.

Are Photinia Easy To Grow?

Photinia are very easy to grow, but you need to have the basics right. Choose a sunny spot and prepare the soil by adding compost or sheep pellets. Feeding your plants in spring with Shrub Fertiliser will replenish nutrients and keep them fed for 12 months. They should also be watered regularly during dry periods to keep them flourishing. The Plant Company has produced a suite of articles that covers everything you need to know about growing Photinia.

Are Photinia Hardy To Frost?

Photinia can take frost once established, though very young plants should be protected until they are at least 20 cm tall. Frost Cloth is a good option for protecting vulnerable plants if you are worried. Be careful to harden off recently purchased plants if you intend to plant these during winter and frosts are likely. Do this by gradually exposing them to the cooler conditions over a 2-3 week period or until such time as you think that a frost won’t damage them. The Plant Company recommends holding off planting until spring if you are at all worried that new plants might get frosted. Generally speaking, a good sized Photinia planted in spring will cope with frosts the following winter.

Best Soil For Photinia

Soils rich in fertility and organic matter that are well-drained will produce amazing plants. The soil should be well prepared with either compost or sheep pellets mixed in at planting or spread on the soil surface after planting. It is important that the soil being planted into won’t restrict root growth and for this reason, clay soils are not well suited to Photinia. Clay soils also tend to be very wet which will negatively impact the performance of the plant, and can ultimately result in plant death.

Feeding your Photinia plants in spring with Shrub Fertiliser will replenish nutrients and keep them fed for 12 months. Liberal amounts of organic fertiliser can also be used. Do ensure that plants are watered regularly during dry periods to keep them flourishing.

Can Photinia Be Grown In Coastal Environments?

Photinia can cope with coastal areas provided they are not covered in salt spray. Being constantly coated with sea spray can result in leaf burning and ultimate death of the plant. Planting on the opposite side of the house to the beach is generally fine.

If the soil is too saline, this can also prove detrimental to the plants and result in them becoming stunted and not performing. If you elect to plant in this environment, The Plant Company recommends ensuring the soil is well prepared with organic matter such as compost and water regularly during dry periods.

Can Photinia Grow In The Shade?

The answer to this question depends on how much shade. In shaded conditions Photinia tend to become “stretched” as the branches extend to chase light, and leaf colouring becomes less intense as less new growth is produced. In full sun they tend to be more compact with a better colouring. That said, Photinia will grow well with just 4-5 hours of direct sun during the day, or with large amounts of dappled light.

Please note that a Photinia hedge that extends under a large tree or through a shaded area will generally differ in the colouring when compared to other areas in full sun.

Can Photinia Grow In Wet Areas?

Photinia do not grow well on heavy soils, including clay and are likely to die a slow death. In such environments the plants are likely to succumb to the root rot disease, Phytophthora. The article, Why Is My Photinia Dying? affords more information on this disease. You might find articles, How To Test If My Soil Is Poorly Drained and Fixing Poor Drainage On A Clay Soil useful.

Can You Grow Photinia In Pots?

Photinia look amazing when grown in pots and managed appropriately. They are commonly grown as a topiary standard. The most popular varieties for this are Photinia Red Robin, Photinia Dark Knight, and Photinia Super Red.

To grow a Photinia in a pot, choose a pot that is no less than twice the size of what the Photinia is currently growing in and that has plenty of drainage holes in the bottom. Fill the bottom of the pot to about 1/3 of the way up with potting mix. Do not use soil or compost when growing plants in a container and do not add fertiliser. The Plant Company potting mix has all the nutrients required to sustain the plant for the next 12 months.

Remove the plant from the container it is growing in by either pulling it free or by cutting the bag. We recommend cutting the bag, especially for larger grade plants, to minimise any chance of damaging the roots. Place the plant in the hole without removing any of the growing media or cutting the roots. You can tease them apart if you want but this is not essential. If the roots have been circling the inside of the pot or they look totally root bound, you don’t need to cut them. Add more potting mix and firm this around the plant using gentle pressure, then water well. They should be watered twice a week during hot weather and weekly or fortnightly during cooler periods.

The key to having an amazing Photinia in a pot is to both keep it fed correctly (see article Best Fertiliser For Photinia Grown In A Container) and not to over-water it. Over-watering is the most common reason Photinia fail.

Design Ideas For Photinia

Photinia owe their popularity to not just their colourful foliage but also to their versatility. They make exceptional hedges for both small and large properties alike. While their usefulness for hedging is well established, they also make for amazing standalone plants. The Plant Company often uses them as a backdrop for smaller plants, to provide screening, or as a topiary standard (i.e., trimmed into a ball atop a short trunk). The lush foliage is fantastic for providing a hint of the tropics and adding both depth and texture to a planting. They can be included in most garden styles with ease and make for an exciting addition. Explore The Plant Company's range of Photinia varieties to find the one(s) that suits your design needs!

Do Photinia Have Invasive Roots?

Generally speaking, Photinia do not have invasive roots when compared to other species. However, if you plant it on top of drainage lines, the roots are probably going to grow into those lines. If, on the other hand, you’re worried about it lifting concrete, we have not observed this occurring. The Plant Company regards this plant as having non-invasive roots.

Growing A Photinia Hedge

Photinia make amazing hedges, either formal (i.e., trimmed), or informal (not trimmed). To create an outstanding hedge The Plant Company recommends spacing them 50 cm apart. The faster you want the hedge to fill in, the closer they should be planted is the general rule. With this planting regime they will close in quickly and also push each other upwards as they compete for light. The result is a fabulous hedge every time.

You can go out to 75 cm if the budget is tight but that will often result in a gap at the bottom between plants which is hard to fill. The gap results from the natural vase shape with which these plants grow. In this situation opt for smaller grade sizes and plant more of them rather than going with bigger plants as this will make the money go further and produce a better result in the longer term.

The key to an amazing hedge is to trim them little and often. This helps keep them dense and encourages the colourful, new growth. The best hedges are trimmed 2-3 times per year. The Plant Company has produced articles on trimming photinia, fertiliser for photinia, and Photinia Issues And Troubleshooting, to help you grow amazing plants.

How Far Apart Should Photinia Be Planted For Hedging?

Photinia make amazing hedges (both formal and informal) and to create an outstanding hedge The Plant Company recommends spacing them 50 cm apart. The faster you want the hedge to fill in, the closer they should be planted is the general rule. With this planting regime they will close in quickly and also push each other upwards as they compete for light. The result is a fabulous hedge every time.

You can go out to 75 cm if the budget is tight but that will often result in a gap at the bottom between plants which is hard to fill. The gap results from the natural vase shape with which these plants grow. In this situation opt for smaller grade sizes and plant more of them rather than going with bigger plants as this will make the money go further and produce a better result in the longer term.

If 25L grades (or bigger) are purchased which are 1m tall and lush, you can space these 75 cm apart without issue. These grades have generally been manicured to ensure they are bushy to the base and will therefore branch and fill in more easily.

How Fast Do Photinia Grow?

Photinia are generally regarded as medium-fast growing and should at least double in size each year for the first 3-4 years. Be sure to start with strong and healthy plants at the outset as a sickly plant can take a lot of time to recover, and cause a hedge to become uneven.

How Tall Will My Photinia Grow?

Photinia typically reach 4 m tall and the same wide, though this obviously depends on the growing conditions. The Plant Company has put a lot of effort into determining how big each plant will grow in an unrestricted growing environment. Far too often we see people planting a garden too densely and then having to spend a lot of time trimming or removing plants later. This is something we want our customers to avoid and we therefore provide size information so the planning can be right from the start. Be sure to check out our Photinia varieties and the detailed information that accompanies both this, and our other plants.

How To Grow Photinia

Choose a full sun position for your Photinia. The hole should be dug to at least 50-75% deeper and wider than the container the plant is currently growing in. The Plant Company recommends incorporating compost or sheep pellets into the soil to provide additional organic material, but this is not essential. Do not put fertiliser in the bottom of the hole, rather spread Shrub Fertiliser on the soil surface after planting, and preferably do this when the plant is actively growing in spring.

The Plant Company has produced specific articles to help you grow amazing Photinia: How To Plant Photinia, How To Trim Photinia, Best Fertiliser For Photinia, When To Water Photinia, How To Mulch Around Photinia, and Photinia Issues And Troubleshooting.

How To Mulch Around Photinia

Placing mulch around Photinia helps keep the soil moist and significantly reduces weeds. The Plant Company recommends an organic mulch is used as this breaks down over time to provide nutrients and improves the soil. It is also better for the environment than the plastic-based alternatives. Whatever type of mulch is used, it needs to be free draining so the soil can “breathe” and allow water to penetrate quickly and easily. Heavy rates of lawn clippings are therefore not a good option as they hold too much moisture. The Plant Company has three very good options for mulch. The first is coco fibre matting which is made from the husks of coconuts. The second is Earth Mat which is made from recycled paper. Both of these break down to become part of the soil within two years. The third is black plastic matting which will last 20 years or more. Whichever mulch is used, The Plant Company recommends stones, bark chip, or other similar products be spread over top for aesthetic purposes.

Compost is not considered an effective mulch as weeds germinate easily and it is only short lasting. It is, however, a very good method of adding organic matter to the soil and should be applied before the mulch is put down.

How To Plant A Photinia

Choose a full sun or partial shade position with good drainage for your Photinia plant. The hole should be dug to at least 50-75% deeper and wider than the container the plant is currently growing in. A planting spade makes the hole digging a lot easier. The Plant Company recommends incorporating compost or sheep pellets into the soil to provide additional organic material, but this is not essential. Do not put fertiliser in the bottom of the hole, rather spread that on the soil surface after planting, and preferably do this when the plant is actively growing in spring.

Remove the plant from the container it is growing in by either pulling it free or by cutting the bag. We recommend cutting the bag, especially for larger grade plants, to minimise any chance of damaging the roots. Once out, you need to assess the roots before progressing. If they are not all bound up, and haven’t been growing in a circle within the container, place the plant in the hole without removing any of the growing media or cutting the roots. You can tease them apart if you want but this is not essential. If, however, the roots have been circling the inside of the pot or they look totally root bound, simply cut through those very outer roots on either side. You don’t need to be any more aggressive than this or remove any of the growing media. You can try and tease the roots apart, but this generally breaks them which is why we cut them. NB: cutting roots is not essential, even if the plant is root-bound as explained in our article, Managing Rootbound Plants.

Now place the plant in the hole and make sure it is level with the soil surface before filling in around it. If it is above the soil surface, dig more out. If it is below, put in more soil and retest the level. Once the plant is set level with the soil surface, add more soil gradually and firm it around the plant using gentle pressure as you go. Scatter Shrub Fertiliser across the soil surface after planting and the give the plant a good watering.

Plants To Grow With Photinia

A wide range of plants can be grown with Photinia. The Plant Company often recommends using other plant colours and textures to add variety and interest. Such plants include Lomandra, Astelia, flaxes, Rosemary, and Gardenias.

What Is The Best Soil For Photinia In A Container?

Only potting mix should be used when Photinia are grown in a container. Often people will try and cut corners and use soil or mixes that contain both soil and potting mix with poor results. The same applies to when plants are potted up with compost as it holds too much moisture. Soil also contains weeds and tends to become compacted in a container, hence why it is not used in this manner. The Plant Company has nursery grade potting media which is pre-loaded with the correct amounts of fertiliser and micro-nutrients to keep the plant sustained with nutrition and actively growing for the next 12-months. After 12-months, simply add a couple fertiliser tablets to keep the plant fed for the next 12-months.

What Is The Difference Between Red Robin And Photinia

Red Robin is a variety of Photinia and is the most popular of the Photinia varieties. It also tends to be the common name for Photinia fraserii, which gives rise to the commonly grown varieties.

When Is The Best Time To Plant Photinia?

Photinia are best planted any time from mid-autumn until late spring. During this time, they can cope with the stresses associated with planting (root damage mainly) more easily than if they have to also cope with heat and moisture stress as well. They can be planted in summer provided they are well-watered and the roots have plenty of growing media attached when planted. If watering is a challenge, The Plant Company advises planting any time from late-autumn through until early-spring. Make sure you have a good planting spade to make this job a lot easier.

Where Do Photinia Grow Best?

A full sun or partial shade position with good drainage and shelter is essential for getting the best results with Photinia. In shaded conditions they tend to become “stretched” as the branches extend to chase light, and leaf colouring becomes less intense as less new growth is produced. In full sun they tend to be more compact with a better colouring. The planting position should also be moderately sheltered which will help with establishment and the overall plant shape. This is not essential as they can cope with moderate wind.

Photinia Propagation

Photinia propagation is a relatively straightforward process when you have the right advice. They are easily rooted and our articles give you the best chance of doing this successfully and efficiently.

Photinia Red Robin Cuttings

Photinia Red Robin is easily propagated by cuttings. Semi-hardwood cuttings are usually taken from autumn until mid-spring. A stem about 10 cm long is trimmed into a cutting using secateurs with 2-3 leaves at the top, and is clipped just below a node at the base. The leaves are often cut in half to reduce transpiration losses which could cause the cutting to dry out. The cutting is dipped in rooting hormone, then inserted into propagation growing media. The tray of cuttings is placed under mist with bottom heat also applied. The cuttings will have taken root inside of four weeks as a general rule. The Plant Company generally applies a fungicide once per week while the cutting strikes.

Photinia Red Robin Hedges, Trimming, and Pruning

Growing a Red Robin hedge takes some thought and planning to ensure you get what you are after. Factors such as the hedge spacing, desired height, and variety are all important considerations. The Plant Company have produced this series of articles to provide advice for trimming a Photinia hedge and pruning individual plants, so you can manicure with confidence and success.

How Hard Can I Prune A Photinia?

Photinia will sprout when cut right back, even up to 5-10 cm above ground level. However, this relies on the plant having heathy shoots at the outset. This activity is best undertaken during spring or summer using secateurs or a pruning saw. Please note: Photinia grown in shade environments may struggle to re-establish when cut back severely. Similarly, those growing sub-optimally due to disease or nutritional issues may also struggle to regrow. The Plant Company does not recommend cutting plants any lower than 10 cm above ground level to ensure a better chance of success with this procedure.

How To Grow A Photinia Hedge

Photinia make amazing formal hedges (i.e., trimmed) and to create an outstanding hedge, space plants 50-100 cm apart. The faster you want the hedge to fill in, the closer they should be planted. Similarly, space plants closely if you want a dense hedge quickly (i.e., 50 cm apart).

Variety selection is very important as not all varieties grow as tall as each other. Check out The Plant Company's range of Photinia varieties to make sure you get the right one. We have taken great care to provide accurate information and detail about how each one grows. The varieties most commonly used for a formal hedge are Photinia Red Robin, Photinia Super Red, and Photinia Super Hedge.

It is important to understand that the hedge is generally pruned in early spring and late summer with about 10-15% of the exterior vegetation removed. The amount removed depends on how much you need to contain the hedge. The best Photinia hedges are trimmed twice per year with a little and often approach to keep the plants dense and lush. That said, they still look fine with once-a-year trimming. See our article, How To Trim A Photinia Hedge for finer details on this subject.

How To Grow An Informal Photinia Hedge

Photinia make amazing informal hedges (i.e., minimally trimmed) and to create an outstanding hedge, space plants 50-75 cm apart. The faster you want the hedge to fill in, the closer they should be planted. Similarly, space plants closely if you want a dense hedge quickly (50 cm apart).

Variety selection is very important as not all varieties grow as tall as each other. Check out our range of Photinia varieties to make sure you get the right one. The Plant Company has taken great care to provide accurate information and detail about how each one grows. The most popular variety used for informal hedges is Photinia Red Robin.

The hedge can be trimmed as little or as much as you want given it is the informality you are wanting. Sometimes, however, it is the natural shape of the plants that clients are after but still with the hedge closing in to a large extent. In these situations, The Plant Company recommends spacing plants 1.5-2 m apart, though they will take longer to close together in this situation.

How To Make A Topiary Standard Photinia

Creating a Photinia topiary standard requires both patience and a straight, single-stemmed plant to start off with. The plant is staked to grow with a straight trunk to just past the mid-height of the topiary (i.e., ball). All the side branches are trimmed off to about 10 cm above the mid-point of the topiary. The top of the plant is cut off just above the mid-point of the ball to encourage sprouting just below the cut. As the new stems grow, they are routinely “tipped” (i.e., the top bud is pinched out) to encourage more shoots. All the time, the ball is progressively shaped until the desired size is achieved. This process can take two years (or more) to complete. If all this seems too hard or you don’t have the patience, contact us and we can generally supply your needs.

How To Trim A Photinia

Photinia are trimmed to remove excess foliage and to shape the plant(s). This is best done during early spring, late summer, or both. You can be as gentle or aggressive as you like when trimming. A mistake often made is to trim the plants hard enough. This error generally results in a woodier plant and a much larger plant that can be difficult to contain. Photinia are very forgiving plants and even if you get the trimming wrong, they will recover!

The Plant Company recommends trimming frequently (at least one per year) and cutting the plants back not further than where you can see leaves. If you remove all the foliage, the plant will need to sprout again from those stems to regrow. The Plant Company also recommends removing any dead or unsightly stems at this time. The cut stems can be painted with would paint, but this is optional.

The articles, How To Grow A Photinia Hedge, How To Trim A Photinia Hedge, and How Hard Can I Prune A Photinia? provide further information.

How To Trim A Photinia Hedge

Trimming a Photinia hedge so it looks perfect is quite easily achieved with some attention to detail. It does, however, start at establishment if you want a truly awesome hedge. As the hedge is establishing, keep trimming the outer branches lightly. Removing the tips of the branches during this process encourages more branching and a denser hedge overall. It is essential while doing these light trimmings to keep in mind what width you want the hedge to be when fully grown. Given close to 10 cm of growth will be removed at each trimming when it is fully grown, the light trimming needs to occur inside the maximum width of the hedge by about 20 cm. Only when the hedge thickens should it be taken out to its maximum width.

Trimming typically occurs in early spring and again in late summer with a little and often philosophy. Taking off too much will make the hedge look bare, but it will grow back. To get straight lines better than trimming by eye, you can use a string line after the initial cut is complete. When The Plant Company trims hedges, we will often do a light cut over, then stand back and look along the lines to determine the high points. Good luck!

When Is The Best Time To Trim Photinia?

Photinia can be trimmed at any time of the year, though early spring and late summer to early autumn are the times recommended by The Plant Company. At these times the plants will produce good amounts of colourful, new growth. Moreover, the growth in autumn will not be at risk from frost injury.

Light trimming to remove unsightly foliage can occur at any time of year.

Photinia Red Robin Problems, Disease, And Solutions

Photinia Red Robin plants do have issues from time to time. Therefore, it is important to understand the underlying issue(s) and have the remedies to fix the problem. The Plant Company have produced this series of articles to help you in the quest for solutions to address Photinia hedge problems and diseases.

Black Spots On Photinia

Black spot disease can occur occasionally on Photinia. The small black spots are more unsightly than damaging but can cause some discolouration in the leaves. This disease is easily controlled with a copper fungicide. The Plant Company advises 2-3 applications at 14 day intervals. Please always read the label before using any agrichemical.

Photinia Leaf Spot

Leaf Spot Fungus on Photinia causes red spots that usually starts on new growth during cold and wet conditions. The spots enlarge and change to a purple colour before the leaf tissue eventually dies. This disease will spread quickly and can kill the plant. It is best controlled using a copper fungicide every 10-14 days until the disease is no longer obvious. Please always read the label when using any agrichemical.

Photinia Pests

The main pests of Photinia are aphids, thrips, and borer beetles. Aphids and thrips cause the leaves to discolour and often have a mottled appearance. Where such pests are present there will often be a black mould on some of the leaves and stems. This is a mould that feeds on the sugars released from the plant by these insects feeding. While the mould is unsightly, it does not hurt the plant and will dissipate with time. All of these pests are easily controlled with a general insecticide. Please always read the label before using any agrichemical.

Borer Beetles usually cause weakening and ultimate death of the stem. Holes through the insides of the stems are a tell-tale sign. To control this pest the stems can be cut and painted with an insecticidal paint. The Plant Company recommends cutting stems back to below any of the boring and then applying wound paint.

What Is Causing The Photinia Leaves To Yellow?

Leaf yellowing in Photinia can result from over-watering, being grown in poor draining soil, or both. This can promote the disease, Phytophthora, and is discussed in the article, Why Is My Photinia Dying? Other common causes are too much shade, or the plants have not been fed for a number of years. A liquid fertiliser can be used to correct issues quickly and should be supported with Shrub Fertiliser during spring if you think this is the cause.

On dense bushes the internal leaves will often yellow before being shed. This is due to a lack of light and is normal. On the other hand, when plants that have been grown in the shade or very low light conditions, then suddenly exposed to full sun, they can become bleached. In this instance, the sun has damaged some of the leaf pigments. The good news is the plant will survive, but it will look terrible for a time.

Pests sucking on the leaves can cause a yellowing but this is often mottled and varied across the plant. The article, Photinia Pests, discusses these and their control.

What Is Wrong With My Photinia?

There can be many reasons why a Photinia looks sick or is dying and it is often an iterative process to determine why. The most common reasons are presented below and organised from most likely to least likely based on The Plant Company's experience.

Root rot disease is the most common. The leaves will wilt even when there is plenty of moisture in the soil. The article, Why Is My Photinia Dying? gives further detail on this subject.

Fertiliser placed in the bottom of the hole at planting. Doing this can draw moisture away from the roots and cause root burning. The best solution here is to generously water the plant every day. See the article, Best Fertiliser For Photinia, for more information.

Wrong fertiliser or too much fertiliser applied. Killing plants with kindness is very common. The best solution here is to generously water the plant every day and flush the soil with water repeatedly. See the article, Best Fertiliser For Photinia, for more information.

Herbicide misadventure. Spraying too close with glyphosate is quite common and plant death is often imminent.

Plants have not been watered or watered too infrequently. See the articles on Watering Photinia, for more information.

Pest infestation. You will see this as small insects on the plant and often has the tell-tale signs of sooty mould. A general insecticide can be used for their control. Please always read the label before using any agrichemical.

Planting on clay soils with extremely poor drainage. If water cannot escape from the holes the plants are in, the plants can drown and succumb to root rot. Drainage must be addressed to resolve this issue.

Excessive shade – Photinia require a period of direct sun or good amounts of dappled light to grow well. If you think this is an issue, simply move the plant to a spot with better light. Do not move it into direct sunlight from heavy shade as this can also damage the plant. Rather, transition the plant to the brighter light by placing it is semi-shade for a week first.

Why Is My Photinia Covered In Black Soot?

Black mould on Photinia is caused by Sooty Mould Fungus. This fungus feeds on the sugars released by feeding insects such as aphids and thrips. While the mould is unsightly, it does not hurt the plant and will dissipate with time as long as the pests causing it are controlled. Most pests that feed on Photinia are easily controlled with a general insecticide. Please always read the label before using any agrichemical.

Why Is My Photinia Dying?

When Photinia are grown in wet soils or exposed to prolonged wet through over-watering, the disease, Phytophthora, can take hold. Phytophthora attacks the roots and causes the plant to eventually die. The tell-tale symptoms are yellowing of the leaves, drooping foliage even when the soil is wet, discolouring of the stems, and plant collapse. This can happen over several months during any season and progressively gets worse. This is all resulting from the root system being progressively weakened by the pathogen. Gardeners will often mistakenly think the plant needs more water. Unfortunately, adding water only accelerates the problem prolonged wetness was generally the cause in the first place.

Often the disease will start to show several weeks after a prolonged rain event. It can also occur when plants are regularly over-watered, or planted in soils that are poorly drained or that hold too much moisture (e.g., clay soils). Therefore, good drainage is essential and sites where drainage is poor should be avoided. The article, Fixing Poor Drainage On A Clay Soil gives good advice on how to correct drainage.

Treatment for Phytophthora can be a hit and miss exercise as there are no silver bullets. However, if picked up early, The Plant Company has experienced some success using Transformer. Transformer has fungicidal properties and when used as a soil drench 2-3 times, plants can sometimes recover. However, if the plant is too far gone, The Plant Company recommends removing the plant entirely, and using Transformer as a soil drench before putting in a new plant. Of course, the drainage or watering issues will need to be addressed so the problem does not manifest again.

Why Is My Photinia Not Flowering?

Photinia will fail to flower if they have endured stress, as the stress usually causes the flowers to abort. For example, Photinia grown in heavy shade will often not have the reserves to put energy into flowers. Similarly, if plants have endured too much drought stress they will often not flower, particularly if this occurred during the time the plant starts to initiate flowers. Presuming the stress has been alleviated, normal flowering should resume.

The other cause of Photinia not flowering can be due to trimming in spring. This process often removes the flower buds.

Wilting Photinia

A wilting Photinia will be caused by one of two reasons. The most obvious is that it needs water! However, if you know the soil has plenty of moisture, but is still wilting, there is a high probability it has root rot disease. When Photinia are grown in wet soils or exposed to prolonged wet through over-watering, the disease, Phytophthora, can take hold. Phytophthora attacks the roots and causes the plant to eventually die. The tell-tale symptoms are yellowing of the leaves, drooping foliage even when the soil is wet, discolouring of the stems, and plant collapse. This can happen over several months during any season and progressively gets worse. This is all resulting from the root system being progressively weakened by the pathogen. Gardeners will often mistakenly think the plant needs more water. Unfortunately, adding water only accelerates the problem prolonged wetness was generally the cause in the first place.

Often the disease will start to show several weeks after a prolonged rain event. It can also occur when plants are regularly over-watered, or planted in soils that are poorly drained or that hold too much moisture (e.g., clay soils). Therefore, good drainage is essential and sites where drainage is poor should be avoided. The article, Fixing Poor Drainage On A Clay Soil gives good advice on how to correct drainage.

Treatment for Phytophthora can be a hit and miss exercise as there are no silver bullets. However, if picked up early, The Plant Company has experienced some success using Transformer. Transformer has fungicidal properties and when used as a soil drench 2-3 times, plants can sometimes recover. However, if the plant is too far gone, The Plant Company recommends removing the plant entirely, and using Transformer as a soil drench before putting in a new plant. Of course, the drainage or watering issues will need to be addressed so the problem does not manifest again.

Photinia Red Robin Purchasing

There are many nurseries that have Photinia Red Robin for sale and often it is a leap of faith when you buy without seeing the plants first. When you buy Photinia plants from The Plant Company you can be assured that we stand behind the quality of our plants. We have produced a few guides in this series to assist you getting the right Red Robin plants for your project.

Buying Big Photinia

Sometimes you just don’t want to wait for a plant to grow, and you want the instant display now. The Plant Company often has large grade Photinia available that are not listed for sale on our website. Please contact us and our amazing team will let you know options and pricing for delivery to your desired location.

Photinia Database

The list of Photinia that The Plant Company has cataloged, worked on, propagated, included in garden designs, and marketed is extensive. Our database of Photinia varieties is listed below:

• Photinia "Dark Knight"
• Photinia "Red Blaze"
• Photinia "Red Devil"
• Photinia "Red Robin"
• Photinia "Super Hedge"
• Photinia "Super Red"
• Photinia "Thin Red"
• Photinia glabra "Rubens"
• Photinia robusta

Photinia Red Robin Trees

Everything you need to know about Photinia and Red Robin trees is covered in our suite of articles about Photinia. We pride ourselves on providing expert advice to accompany our plants so you get the best result possible. Let The Plant Company impress you with both our quality and service. Our impressive Google Rating shows we are excellent at what we do! Feel free to explore our Photinia varieties and be impressed!

Red Robin Trees

The Plant Company has high quality Red Robin plants and trees available now! We appreciate that buying online is somewhat of a leap of faith, given you are putting your trust in us. Please rest assured that we only ship plants that we would happily buy and plant ourselves. Trust in The Plant Company to supply your Red Robin needs and allow us to impress you both with our quality and service. Our impressive Google Rating shows we are good at what we do! The Plant Company has a range of Photinia varieties and we welcome you to check them out. We have taken great care to provide detailed information with each of them.

What To Consider When Buying Photinia

A cheap Photinia plant usually comes in a very small pot and has both small foliage and small roots. The small plant can be appealing when you are on a budget, however, think of such plants like babies. They only have a small root system so they need careful attention for watering. They are also more vulnerable to disease such as Phytophthora, and our article, Why Is My Photinia Dying?, explains how devasting this disease can be. The Plant Company therefore recommends you only buy plants in a 1.5L pot (preferably bigger) to have the greatest chance of success, even if you are on a budget. Any savings by buying small are lost when they die and you have to replace them! Moreover, the plants need to be “chunky”, have a strong root system, and show no signs of disease. Be sure to check out our Photinia so you are buying the best plants at a competitive price.

Where To Buy Best Quality Photinia Plants

Buying quality plants can be a challenge at times. However, The Plant Company makes this job easy by offering high quality Photinia. We appreciate that buying online is somewhat of a leap of faith given you are putting your trust in us. Therefore, we only ship plants that we would happily buy and plant ourselves. We propagate and nurture plants ready for their new home, and take pride in exceeding our customers expectations. Our impressive Google Rating shows we are good at what we do!

Where To Buy Bulk Photinia Plants

The Plant Company has a large-scale production nursery and produces large numbers of Photinia. If you are after bulk lots of plants, please be sure to contact us for pricing and availability. Our talented staff can not only manage all aspects of getting the plants to you, but any other plant related enquiries you may have. Our impressive Google Rating shows we are good at what we do!

Where To Buy Photinia

The Plant Company has great stock of high quality Photinia plants. We appreciate that buying online is somewhat of a leap of faith, given you are putting your trust in us. Please rest assured that we only ship plants that we would happily buy and plant ourselves. Trust in The Plant Company to supply your Photinia needs and allow us to impress you both with our quality and service. Our impressive Google Rating shows we are good at what we do!

Watering Photinia

Watering Photinia correctly is an important part of growing amazing plants. Importantly, making sure they get enough without being over-watered is paramount. Our articles provide the know-how on this subject.

When To Water Photinia

Photinia require good levels of soil moisture to stay fresh and keep growing actively even though they can tolerate dry periods. They require watering both during establishment and during those dry periods. The Plant Company recommends a generous watering every third day during summer, or every fifth day if the soil is a bit heavier. If plants start to wilt, you need to water immediately. The Plant Company advises watering in the morning or in the evening for water conservation purposes.

If your Photinia is being grown in a pot, watering every second day during summer and once every week during winter is the general rule. This will depend on how hot the growing environment is and the size of the plant. A word of caution, however. Over-watering is the most common cause of plant death with Photinia.