Christmas berry

Photinia Red Robin bush, also known as Christmas Berry, can be grown as a small tree for stilted screening, a half standard for formal planting, or a shrubby bush for evergreen hedging. It is a stunning evergreen hedge suitable for normal, clay, or chalk soils, full sun to semi-shade, and inland or exposed sites.

Photinia Red Robin bush can be severely pruned in the spring to form a dense evergreen hedge best maintained between one and two metres high. Each time you prune this plant, it reacts with a red flush of foliage. Clusters of delicate white flowers and vivid, scarlet leaves in spring transform into a striking deep green in winter.

It prefers sunny conditions but can grow well in partial shade and thrive in well-drained soil. This plant is resilient against frost, although it can be prone to occasional leaf drop. If this happens, carefully prune it back and apply a slow-release fertiliser during the spring, watering it if necessary. If the soil is not frozen, it can be planted all year long.

Photinia Red Robin thrives best on free-draining soils but will not suffer the severest cold winters the further north you get past the Scottish borders. As they mature, you will also be rewarded with white clusters of flowers in the spring, which are a nice contrast against the emerging red foliage.

Mature height: 1-2m

Common names

Christmas berry

Height of tree

3-7m

Tree type

Evergreen

Soil type

Well drained, Will tolerate most soil types

Shape

Hedging

Blossom Colour

White

Foliage Colour

Red/Purple

Looks good in

Winter, Spring

Privacy

Screening from ground level

Location

Garden

Genus

Photinia