Red Tip Photinia

Brief Description

The Red Tip Photinia is a great shrub for your landscape and is very recognizable by the red leaf’s new growth. Once those leaves hit a certain age, they’ll turn green like the rest of the shrub. You must be very careful where you plant Photinias. Due their larger size, when put in spots that are too small or near high-trafficked areas, you must constantly trim them back. However, when used as a hedge or in an open section of the landscape, Photinias thrive. 

Origin

Southern China, Australia and New Zealand 

Description 

Common Name – Red Tip Photinia 

Botanical Name – Photinia x Fraseri 

Plant Type – Perennial Shrub 

Mature Size – 10 to 15 feet tall, 10 to 15 feet wide 

Sun Exposure – Full Sun to Partial Shade 

Bloom Time – Early Summer 

Flower Color – White 

Hardiness Zone – Up to Zone 7  

Planting

When planting a Photinia, it’s crucial to place it in an area with at least 20 feet of openness. This is due to how large they grow. Many times you’ll see them planted next to walkways or areas where the Photinia constantly needs to be pruned. Instead of having to closely monitor your Photinia, plants away from areas that receive a lot of traffic. When Photinia are young, keep them adequately watered. Once mature, you can reduce the amount of water. These are also drought resistant shrubs, we recommend less versus more water. 

Care

There is very little care for Photinias. We like to use the phrase “set it and forget it” because other than taking hedge trimmers to them a couple times of year, you’re pretty much good to go. It would be a good idea once or twice per year to clean up whatever leaves fell off. 

Flowers 

Photinia have 5-petaled, white flowers (¼” across) that form panicles that are 5-6 inches long. Flowers bloom in Summer. 

Varieties 

One popular variety is ‘Red Robin’ because the leaves are dark green, which gives a beautiful contrast to the red new growth and white flowers. 

Invasive

The Red Tip Photinia is not invasive. 

For other shrubs that are perfectly suited for Greater Prescott, read about the Butterfly Shrub here.

Lastly, we highly recommend Watter’s Garden Center, Mortimer Nursery, or Prescott Valley Nursery as great places to both purchase shrubs & trees but to also ask questions because these are the experts.