Photinia Photinia X Fraseri Red Robin
Description & features
Example photos only. Size, stem height and habit may vary.
Please contact us for photos of current stock.
Example photos only. Size, stem height and habit may vary.
Please contact us for photos of current stock.
Example photos only. Size, stem height and habit may vary.
Please contact us for photos of current stock.
Example photos only. Size, stem height and habit may vary.
Please contact us for photos of current stock.
British Grown - The British Grown logo denotes plants and trees that have been both propagated and grown in the UK. Read more
Step 1 - Select plant type
Bare root guideStep 2 - Size and quantity
All prices include VAT
All prices include VAT
| Volume discount | 1-9 | 10-49 | 50-249 | 250+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15L pot size / 125-150cm Bush | £58.50 | £55.20 | £52.80 | £48.00 |
All prices include VAT
All prices include VAT
British Grown - The British Grown logo denotes plants and trees that have been both propagated and grown in the UK. Read more
Product description
PHOTINIA X FRASERII RED ROBIN - Photinia
Characteristics
Photinia is a large evergreen shrub which will also make a small tree of up to about 6m (20ft). It has become a popular garden plant mainly due to its shiny red new growth which appears in April, An added attraction is that when mature it produces a display of frothy heads of pink tinged flowers.
Photinia x fraseri, raised at Fraser nurseries in Birmingham, Alabama, in the 1940s, has a complex history, being a cross between Photinia glabra and Photinia serrulata. The cultivar 'Robusta' was one of the earliest commercial introductions. Raised in Australia it is both vigorous and hardy.
Photinia Robusta, sometimes also known as Robusta Compacta, has a tighter more compact habit than the ubiquitous Photinia Red Robin.
Where to grow
This versatile evergreen grows well in most garden soils however it grows best in fertile, humus-rich soil in sun or partial shade.
Did you know?
Photinia is thought of mostly as a shrub but can also be trained as a standard tree with a clear trunk, or even as a raised panel of lush foliage on a clear stem.
Features
- Mature height
- Small - 5-10 metres
- Spread
- 0-5 metres
- Shape / habit
- Shrub Multi-Stem
- Growth rate
- Medium
- Soil type
- All soil types
- Sun levels
- Full sun
- Partial shade
- Difficulty / hard to grow
- Easy
- Evergreen / Deciduous
- Evergreen
- Season of interest
- Autumn
- Winter
- Spring
- Summer
- Leaf
- Green
- Purple/Red
- Foliage
- Dense
- Flower colour
- Pink
- White
- Flowering month
- June
- Hedging
- Evergreen Hedge
- Uses
- Screening
- Garden Tree
- Small garden Tree
- City/Urban Sites
- Flower Arranging
- Suitable for training on a wall
Features
- Mature height
- Small - 5-10 metres
- Spread
- 0-5 metres
- Shape / habit
- Shrub Multi-Stem
- Growth rate
- Medium
- Soil type
- All soil types
- Sun levels
- Full sun
- Partial shade
- Difficulty / hard to grow
- Easy
- Evergreen / Deciduous
- Evergreen
- Season of interest
- Autumn
- Winter
- Spring
- Summer
- Leaf
- Green
- Purple/Red
- Foliage
- Dense
- Flower colour
- Pink
- White
- Flowering month
- June
- Hedging
- Evergreen Hedge
- Uses
- Screening
- Garden Tree
- Small garden Tree
- City/Urban Sites
- Flower Arranging
- Suitable for training on a wall
Aftercare
For the continued healthy growth of your trees, shrubs or hedging it is vital that you follow the advice below.
Watering
The main reason that plants die within 12 months of having been planted is lack of water. It is essential throughout the spring and summer, to give a heavy enough watering to enable the water to penetrate right down to the deepest root level of the tree. In hot dry spells give the equivalent of 2 bucketfuls every three days.
Weed Control
One of the most common causes of lack of water is competition from grass. When trees are first establishing, the grass roots would be at the same level as the tree roots and are far more efficient at taking up water and thus choke the tree. It is vital for 3 years after planting that your tree or hedge has a circle or strip one metre wide completely free of grass. The way to eliminate grass in order of effectiveness is:
- Spray off the grass with a glyphosate based weed killer such as Roundup. Apply each year for the first 3 years. It is best applied when the tree is dormant as it is absorbed through green leaves and kills the plant off at the roots.
- Firmly fit a mulch mat around the base of the tree by tucking the edges into the soil and put a thick layer of bark mulch on top of this. This can be done after the initial spraying with glyphosate and should avoid the need for further spraying.
Mowing or strimming is NOT an answer to the problem. Each time you mow, the grass will grow back more vigorously and strimming invariably leads to lacerated trunks.
Staking
If trees are not correctly secured they will rock in the planting pit. Roots not firmly in contact with the soil are unable to take up moisture and nutrients, resulting in die back or death of the tree. Check, particularly after windy weather, that stakes are still solidly in the ground keeping the base of the trunk firm. The purpose of the stakes is to anchor the roots. Flexing in the wind, higher up the trunk, is not necessarily a problem if the roots are firm.
Bellow is list of the correct system to use to secure your trees.
- 40/60, 60/80, 80/100 whips - Unless rabbit/deer problem no need to stake.
- 100/125, 125/150 1.2m Cane and Easi tie.
- 150/175 1.2m square stake and a buckle tie and spacer.
- 175/250, 6/8, 8/10 15L 1.65 Tree stake and a buckle tie and spacer.
- All larger trees. 2 x 1.65 Tree stake and cross rail with 38mm cushion spacer and 1m of 38mm strapping.
Ties
Always use our recommended tree ties or strapping. These are designed and manufactured with the correct amount of give to hold the tree firm without strangling it. They should be checked at the end of each growing season for adjustment as the trunk thickens. Non proprietary materials such as baler twine will cut into the bark and should not be used.
Protection from Animal Damage
Rabbits, deer, sheep, cattle and horses can all potentially damage trees. Ask us for advice on the most appropriate guards for your trees or hedge. Squirrels are also a terrible pest when trees get to about 20ft tall but there is no protection available.
By photinia x fraserii red robin on 11/10/2014
when and how far back can i prune this small tree we have had this for around ten years itnow stands around six foot plus
By Simon on 13/10/2014
You can prune them back fairly hard, but it is best to do this in the spring when they have started growing again.
Hope this helps
By Dawn on 23/09/2015
Hi. Can you tell me PHOTINIA X FRASERII RED ROBIN - Photinia
Is this is suitable to grow in a large pot ? If not can you suggest an evergreen small tree that could be grown in a large pot in full sun?
Many thanks Dawn
By Simon on 24/09/2015
Dear Dawn,
Photinia might be a little large for a pot, though it would survive for some years given enough water and feed. Holly is slow growing and can be clipped back, so this would be an alternative choice for a pot. The Weeping Cotoneaster is another possibility as this stays small.
By Alison on 14/04/2016
Do you sell these in ‘pleached’ format? Looking for something evergreen with bare stem to about 6ft then a height of leaf to about 10 to 12ft in all. Many thanks and apols if I’m getting terms wrong - hope you know what I mean!
By Emily Dickons on 24/04/2016
Are there any issues with roots, planting these trees near to a house or pavement?
By Lillian on 01/05/2016
I have a photinia that is 10ft tall which doesn’t have any leaves for the first 5 ft can I cut any of the thicker trunk like branches back to base to make it sprout or should I leave it to grow into a tree?
By Simon on 18/05/2016
Hello Alison,
We do supply Photinia Red Robin in pleached form. I will email you with our current stock.
By Simon on 20/05/2016
Hello Emily,
Photinia is not particularly invasive and is only a small tree, so there are not usually issues with the roots. However, if there are structures you are worried about, then you should follow the rule of thumb of planting at least half the mature height of the tree away from this, ie 10ft. The effect of roots on buildings is affected by numerous variables such as climate, soil type and construction, so it is not possible to give you a definitive answer on whether there would be a problem in your particular situation.
By Simon on 25/05/2016
Hello Lillian,
Yes, you can hard prune Photinia and it should sprout back.
By Dave on 20/09/2016
Hello
Please can you tell me the optimum time of year to plant the photinea please?
By Dave on 20/09/2016
Hello
How close together can the smaller 40 -60cm plants be planted?
By Simon on 21/09/2016
Hello Dave,
You can plant container grown trees at any time of year, however autumn is a particularly good time as it allows the roots to establish a little before the cold weather comes along.
By Simon on 21/09/2016
Hi Dave,
The 3L pots can be planted 3 to a metre for a hedge.
By Sadie Rance on 24/10/2016
Hi i’m looking to buy a evergreen tree for screening with a bare stem of about 6ft then a height of leaf to about 10 to 12ft, would a pleached Photinia Red Robin achieve this?
Many Thanks
Sadie
By Simon on 26/10/2016
Hello Sadie,
Yes, you could use pleached Photinia Red Robin for your screen. We have some in the nursery at the moment, I will email you with current stock.
By Emma on 01/12/2016
Hi. I’m looking for some pleached photinia to help screen the neighbours house. We need around 6ft of clear stem before the leaves begin. Can you give me a rough estimate for 6 of these please. We will need them delivered at the beginning of February. Many thanks.
By Simon on 02/12/2016
Hello Emma,
I’ll send you a quote by email.
By Carrie on 08/12/2016
Hi I have a red robin which is about 5m tall and has two bare trunks with a small amount of foliage at the top. Can I prune it now to about 2m so that it will bush out again
.
By Simon on 09/12/2016
Hello Carrie,
You can hard prune Photinia Red Robin to renovate it. Cut it back in spring.
By kevin on 17/08/2017
Hi folks, we purchased a goodly number of CRATAEGUS PRUNIFOLIA SPLENDENS & PHOTINIA trees from you last November and all are doing well..While the Frosted Thorn’s are taking care of themselves and growing up/thickening nicely, the Photinia’s have taken a while longer to establish and are thinner & more spindly than desired given screening requirement, so we look like we need to start to prune appropriately to ensure we see a ‘thickening’ and a ‘spread’ rather than any immediate height gain (that can come naturally :) - can you recommend best time & approach please..Many thanks
By Simon on 18/08/2017
Hello Kevin,
Photinia can send out some long shoots, especially if not in full sun, so trim these back by about a third in spring or early summer and this will encourage branching and denser foliage. As mentioned above, you can trim back quite hard if need be. You may need to repeat the process for a few years to achieve the desired effect.