Photinia Red Robin

PHOTINIA RED ROBIN

Photinia Red Robin Hedging

Photinia Red Robin, or Christmas berry, is a genus of Asian and North American shrubs, which includes a group of evergreen hybrids grown specifically for their colourful young foliage.  Photinia Red Robin also works well in a mixed hedge or planted in a Laurel hedge.

Most Red Robin is a form of the garden hybrid P. x fraseri, with glossy dark green adult foliage, and variable red tinted young leaves, especially as they just unfold. ‘Red Robin’ is one, a choice form with eye-catching juvenile growth the colour of sealing wax, similar to a Pieris. This is sometimes caught by late spring frosts, and some shelter is advisable.

Red Robin enjoys a sunny or partially shaded position in moist but well-drained soil. If left untrimmed, Red Robin Hedging can grow to a height of 4 metres and a spread of 4 metres.

Hyland’s Nursery Photinia Red Robin Price List

Types of Photinia Red Robin plants you can buy and when to plant them

There are three different ways you can buy Red Robin in our Nursery

Pots or containers:

Red Robin in pots can be planted all year round and can be any size, from a plant in a 9cm pot to a plant in a large tub. Their root is settled into the pot and the plant has been actively growing in the pot thus it is well established.  A plant in a pot can be sown all year round.  As it is established in the pot, there is little disturbance to the plant when planted into the ground so it is more likely to grow.  It is seldom that a plant in a pot fails unless the watering conditions haven’t been correct. It will need to be watered in well when initially planted. If planted during a hot time or in the summer, it may need to be watered a few times a week until they get established in the ground.

Root balled:

Root balled plants are larger plants that come in a root wrap of hessian. You leave this hessian on when planting.  You only plant these plants when the plant is dormant or has stopped growing for the winter.  They are planted from October/November to April/May depending on what the season is like i.e. if the spring is early or not, or if the autumn is very dry.

We don’t sell Red Robin bare rooted at the moment as we feel they are better coming from a pot or root wrapped as there more likely to grow into a stronger plant and less chance of the plant dying.

Planting tips

Distance apart:

Smaller plants should be planted at a distance of 50cm apart in a single row.  Larger plants won’t need to be planted as close, but how close will depend on how soon you want your hedge to look full.

Preparation before planting

The ground should be clean and free from weeds and grass.  This gives the new plants a good chance to get established.  If the area you are going to plant them in has grass or weeds, the ground should be sprayed off a week or so before planting to avoid any competition. To help prevent too many weeds appearing after you have planted your hedge, I find it a good idea to put your grass clippings or mulch around the plants as this smothers out the weeds and helps prevent the plants drying out.

Depth

The plants should be planted deep enough to cover the roots. They do not like to be planted too deep as this may kill them or stunt their growth.

Red Robin doesn’t like to be lying in water so if the area you want to plant them in is wet, you may need to consider draining the ground or making a mound/ditch of top soil on top of the ground and plant them into this.

Red Robin can grow well in full sun and in partial shade.

Aftercare

Once the Red Robin is established you can trim it once or twice a year.  Mid to late summer is a good time to give it a trim as the new foliage will keep its red colour throughout the winter if trimmed at this time.  It shouldn’t be trimmed if the weather is really hot and dry.  You can give your hedge a feed of any high nitrogen feed (eg. in the nursery we use 18-6-12) or poultry manure pellets in late spring/early summer.

General problems with Red Robin hedges

Red Robin is usually trouble-free but there may be a few things to look out for.

Lack of water (drought):

If you have a newly planted hedge that and is losing its leaves and not looking as bright as it should, it may not be getting enough water.  It should not be let get too dry in the first year.  If planted in a dry time you will need to water it in well and water it a few times a week- weather dependant.

Too much water (waterlogged):

If you have a more established hedge, and the hedge appears to look dull, the ground may be water logged.  Red Robin doesn’t like sitting in water for a long period of time.

Stress:

If you have planted large root balled hedging, if your water conditions are correct, it may be the plant reacting to its change of environment and is under a little stress, but once it gets going it should be ok. The plant is generally under stress if the foliage has purple/brown spotting.  A cold winter may also cause a more mature plant to be stressed.

Hunger:

Another reason for your leaves not looking healthy is hunger and your hedge may need a granule or liquid feed with high nitrogen or some poultry manure pellets.

If you have any questions, please do reach out to us by phone +353 87 277 3492 or email for answers.