Photinia Shrubs

Japanese Photinia

• A rounded evergreen shrub, Japanese photinia (Photinia glabra) is unfortunately susceptible to leaf spot disease. Grow this plant in USDA plant hardiness zones 7b through 10 where the climate is not too humid or plentiful in rainfall, which exacerbates leaf spot troubles. Japanese photinia matures at 10 to 12 feet tall and equally wide. New leafy growth is coppery red and ages to glossy deep green. This species makes a dense informal or sheered hedge. Its flowers and fruits aren't particularly showy.

Chinese Photinia

• Also called evergreen Oriental photinia, the Chinese photinia (Photinia serrulata) is the most disease-resistant species for gardens in the southern United States, according to Michael Dirr of the University of Georgia. Native to China, it grows in USDA zones 6 through 9. The new leaves are light green to pale coppery, and the leaves are deeply serrated like holly until they mature to a less jagged edginess. The white flowers are stinky, but yield red autumn berries that attract songbirds. Oriental photinia grows 20 to 30 feet tall and 10 to 25 feet wide. Use it as a hedge or small tree if the lowermost limbs are pruned away.

Deciduous Oriental Photinia

• As long as the disease fireblight is not common in your region, consider growing the deciduous Oriental photinia (Photinia villosa). Growing 10 to 15 feet tall and 8 to 10 feet wide with an upright, V-shaped silhouette, it usually develops multiple stem trunks. The white flowers in early summer are easily overlooked, but not the red fruits that accompany the yellow, orange and red fall foliage. The berries persist into winter. Grow this cold-hardy species in USDA zones 4 through 7 in all but alkaline soil conditions.

Red-Tip Photinia

• The Fraser or red-tip photinia (Photinia x fraseri) is the result of a hybrid cross at Fraser Nurseries in Birmingham, Alabama, around 1940. Historically, this was the most widely planted hedge shrub in the American Southeast, until the fungal disease cause by Entomosporium maculatum wiped out millions of plants. Young leaves emerge brilliant ruby green and mature lustrous green. The small white flowers lead to red berries, as long as this plant is not sheared to create a hedge. Red-tip photinia matures at 15 to 25 feet tall and 10 to 20 feet wide. Grow it in USDA zones 7 through 9 as a screen or small tree if lower branches are pruned away.