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There are many kinds of Photinia hedges, but arguably the most popular variety is Photinia Red Robin.
Photinia x Fraseri, also known as “Red Robin”, is well known for its vibrant young leaves, that glow bright red in the sunshine and turn green as they mature. They are very fast growing too, so they fill out no time!
Photinia Red Robin’s dense evergreen foliage makes it perfect for hedging, but it can also be grown as ornamental hedging or individual topiaries to pepper across your garden. If you’re looking to brighten up your garden by growing these plants, we have years of know-how in how to look after Photinia Red Robin.
When you’re growing Photinia Red Robin, it’s very important to consider the conditions of your garden first. Where in your garden sees the most sunshine? Photinias don’t fare well in shady conditions – if you can find a sunny spot that is also sheltered from strong winds, this is ideal.
If you’re planting a row of Photinia Red Robin, try to give them plenty of space. Since they fill out quickly, you won’t have to worry about gaps for long! It’s important that Photinia Red Robins have plenty of space for air to circulate around them, so they stay nice and dry inside the canopy.
Yes, Photinia Red Robin can be grown in pots! If you aren’t looking to create a screen for privacy, Photinia Red Robin can make gorgeous standalone topiaries and will fare very well in pots. We only advise that you make sure to choose a large pot with good drainage, as Photinias do not like waterlogged soil. Also ensure you water and feed your potted Photinia regularly, particularly throughout the growing months, as they will not be gaining moisture and nutrients naturally from the soil.
While Photinia Red Robin will be perfectly fine without feeding, there are certain things you can feed your Photinia hedges to keep them happy and healthy. Phosphorus-heavy fertilisers are great when the plant is young, as they promote root growth. If the Photinia Red Robin is susceptible to disease, applying nitrate-rich fertiliser once a year can help with keeping the leaves healthy.
When the Photinia Red Robin is young, regular watering is completely fine; however, once the plant is established and reaches maturity, it will not need much water at all. In fact, Photinia Red Robin struggles in waterlogged soil. We recommend applying mulch to the top layer of soil around the established Photinia Red Robin plant – this will hold water for considerably longer, so there is less need to water frequently.
We have a detailed guide on how and when to prune Photinias, but in short, we recommend pruning them no more than twice a year (though feel free to use sharp secateurs to snip off any wayward stems throughout the year) and making sure to trim the interior branches to promote air circulation within the plant. Photinias are prone to fungal diseases, so accurate pruning is important for disease prevention. Read all about the pests, diseases and common problems with Photinias.
We get asked this a lot! Yes, you can take cuttings from Photinia Red Robin – once you know how to propagate these cuttings you can have as many as you like!
For the best chances of success growing Photinia Red Robin from scratch, we recommend taking these cuttings in Summer, so they have plenty of time during the peak season of growth to become established in the soil.
Take a cutting slightly longer than you need, and make sure to cut a little more off just before planting so the cut edge is fresh. Remove the lower leaves, so the plant can focus its energy on producing new roots, and plant it in well-watered soil. After several weeks in a shady spot, the plant should have started to root! Keep it potted and take care of it until springtime, when it can be permanently re-planted outside.
Hopes Grove Nurseries is the UK’s leading specialist in hedges and ornamental garden plants, home to over a million different hedging plants in a wide variety of species. Contact us today if you have any queries about Photinia Red Robin plants and how to grow them.
