Red tip photinia (Photinia x fraseri) is one of the most popular evergreen shrubs for landscaping. This attractive plant is prized for its beautiful red-tipped foliage and vibrant year-round color. But how fast does this versatile shrub actually grow?
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll dive into everything you need to know about red tip photinia’s growth rate We’ll look at the factors that affect its speed of growth, how to control and manage growth, and what to expect at different stages Let’s dig in!
Overview of Red Tip Photinia Growth Rate
Red tip photinia is considered a relatively fast growing shrub In ideal conditions, it can achieve growth of up to 2-3 feet per year The most rapid growth occurs in the spring and early summer months.
During the first year after planting, a young red tip photinia may put on 1-2 feet of new growth if properly cared for. As it matures over the next 2-4 years, the growth rate increases to 2-3 feet annually
Mature shrubs can reach heights of 10-15 feet tall and wide. With adequate spacing and pruning, red tip photinia can fill out nicely as a privacy hedge or screen in just a few years.
Factors That Impact Growth Rate
While red tip photinia grows at a moderate to fast rate overall, its exact speed of growth will depend on several key factors:
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Sunlight – Full sun is ideal, encouraging the most vigorous growth. Growth slows under partial shade.
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Soil – Well-draining soil with a slightly acidic pH of 6.5-7 allows the fastest growth. Poor drainage and infertile soil stunts development.
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Water – Consistent weekly watering supports fast growth. Underwatering leads to slower growth.
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Temperature – Warm zones 7-9 are optimal. Cooler climates result in reduced growth speed.
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Pruning – Regular pruning concentrates growth into remaining branches. Lack of pruning causes leggy, open growth.
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Fertilization – Applying a balanced organic fertilizer in early spring can boost growth.
Typical First Year Growth
For a newly planted 1-2 foot tall red tip photinia, you can expect it to put on 1-2 feet of new growth in its first year in ideal conditions. This gets your shrub off to a nice start.
Proper planting, watering, and fertilizing are key to maximizing first year growth. Prune lightly after planting to shape it. Monitor for pests and diseases.
Growth Rate at Maturity
Once established after 2-4 years, a mature red tip photinia growing in full sun and well-cared for can achieve 2-3 feet of vigorous new growth per year.
This rapid but controlled growth allows it to quickly fill out an area as a dense hedge or screen. Annual pruning maintains shape and directs growth.
Achieving Maximum Growth Rate
To encourage the fastest possible growth rate from your red tip photinia:
- Select a site with full sun exposure
- Prepare soil with compost to optimize drainage and nutrients
- Water deeply 1-2 times per week, avoiding leaf wetness
- Apply a balanced organic fertilizer in early spring
- Prune annually to direct growth and improve air circulation
- Monitor for pests like aphids and diseases like leaf spot
Strategies for Controlling Fast Growth
If red tip photinia is growing too vigorously, you can slow it down by:
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Situating in partial shade rather than full sun
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Pruning rigorously to remove up to 1/3 of new growth
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Allowing soil to dry slightly between waterings
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Using a low nitrogen, slow release fertilizer
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Training as a tree form by removing lower branches
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Choosing a dwarf cultivar like ‘Little Red Robin’
An Excellent Choice for Fast-Growing Hedging
With proper care and pruning, red tip photinia can grow quickly enough to form a tall, dense privacy hedge or screen in just a few years. Its ability to grow up to 2-3 feet annually makes it an ideal choice when fast green coverage is desired.
Just be sure to give it enough room to reach its mature size. With the right growing conditions, red tip photinia will reward you with vigorous beauty and endless curb appeal.
Key Takeaways on Red Tip Photinia Growth Rate
- Grows 1-2 feet per year when young, up to 2-3 feet annually when mature
- Reaches 10-15 feet tall/wide at maturity over 5-10 years
- Full sun, fertile soil, ample water, and regular pruning boost growth
- Controlling growth involves partial shade, reduced water, and pruning
- Fast growth makes it perfect for hedges and screens
So if you’re looking for an attractive broadleaf evergreen that provides vibrant color and fills in quickly, red tip photinia is a perfect choice. Just give this fast-growing shrub what it needs, and you’ll achieve beautiful results!
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Red Tip Photinia (Photinia x fraseri)
Leaves: Evergreen leaves are oval in shape and 2¾ to 4 inches long. New growth is bright red. The color lasts two to four weeks before maturing to green.
Flowers/Fruit: Small white clusters of flowers with an unpleasant smell appear in mid-spring and are followed by red, berrylike fruits.
Size & Growth Rate: A red tip grows 10 to 15 feet tall and 5 to 8 feet wide, although it can get larger with age. It is a moderate to fast growing plant.
Culture: While it is an extremely tough and vigorous plant that will grow in almost any soil, (except extremely wet ones), red tip photinia prefers a rich, well-drained soil. It prefers full sun to partial shade. Good air circulation is a must.
Landscape Use: Red tips were commonly used to create tall hedges and were often planted too close together to allow for adequate air circulation, which made them more susceptible to leaf spot. Red tip photinia is highly susceptible to Entomosporium leaf spot, and as such its use for hedging is not recommended.
Diseases: Entomosporium leaf spot, which is caused by the fungus Entomosporium maculatum, is a severe problem on red tips. Early symptoms consist of small, circular, red spots on both the upper and lower surfaces of new leaves. On heavily diseased leaves, the spots unite to form larger, maroon blotches. Mature leaves develop dark brown or gray spots surrounded by reddish purple rings. Eventually, the leaves will fall off. Repeated leaf drop over several years along with other problems often results in plant death.
The fungus is most active during fall and spring months when weather is cool and rainy. Fungal spores are spread over short distances, so healthy plants can often remain healthy as long as they are in an isolated situation (far from other red tips).
Cultural Control:
- Prune red tips in the winter when they are dormant. Pruning during the growing season will encourage new growth, which is highly susceptible to attack by the fungus. Mature leaves are more resistant to leaf spot.
- Rake up and discard fallen leaves, and remove infected plant material. Apply fresh mulch around plants to cover any leaves that were missed. These practices reduce the amount of fungus present in the spring, resulting in less infection.
- Provide excellent air circulation. This often means thinning out a few plants in a hedge.
- Avoid wetting the leaves when watering. Splashing water spreads the fungus.
- Avoid summer fertilization that will promote new growth late in the season.
Chemical Control: Apply a recommended fungicide at the first sign of disease or when new growth starts, and repeat application every 7 to 14 days. Be sure to follow the directions on the label. However, the use of fungicides for management of Entomosporium leaf spot is most effective when initiated early at new leaf emergence, and continued regularly until leaves become mature in early June. Then, applications should be made when conditions favor disease development (immediately following rainy periods). Fungicides do not be applied during hot, dry periods.
Fungicides labeled for Entomosporium leaf spot control contain one of the three active ingredients:
Chlorothalonil:
- Bonide Fung-onil Multi-purpose Fungicide
- Ferti-lome Broad Spectrum Landscape & Garden Fungicide
- GardenTech Daconil Fungicide
- Hi-Yield Vegetable, Flower, Fruit, & Ornamental Fungicide
- Ortho MAX Garden Disease Control Concentrate
- Southern Ag Liquid Ornamental & Vegetable Flowable Fungicide
- Tiger Brand Daconil
Propiconazole:
- Banner Maxx Fungicide
- Bonide Infuse Systemic Disease Control
- Bonide Infuse Systemic Disease Control Lawn & Landscape Ready-to-Spray
- Ferti-lome Liquid Systemic Fungicide II
- Quali-Pro Propiconazole 14.3 Fungicide
Myclobutanil:
- Ferti-lome F-Stop Lawn & Garden Fungicide
- Monterey Fungi-Max
- Spectracide Immunox Multi-Purpose Fungicide Concentrate
This disease is very difficult to control once plants are severely infected. If you do not want to spray your plants every one to two weeks, it may be best to replace them with another plant species (see Red Tip Substitutes below).
Japanese Photinia (Photinia glabra)
Leaves: Evergreen leaves are long and oval in shape and 1½ to 3½ inches long. New growth is bronzy-red.
Flowers/Fruit: Small white clusters of flowers with an unpleasant smell appear in mid to late spring and are followed by red, berrylike fruits that later turn black. Flowers are smaller and appear later than those of red tip photinia.
Size & Growth Rate: Japanese photinia grows 10 to 12 feet tall and wide and is a moderate to fast growing plant.
Culture: See Red Tip Photinia.
Landscape Use: See Red Tip Photinia.
Diseases: Japanese photinia is highly susceptible to Entomosporium leaf spot, and as such its use for hedging is not recommended.
How fast do Red Tip Photinia grow? How tall do Red Tip Photinia grow?
FAQ
How to make Red Tip Photinia grow faster?
Red tip photinia grows fast, approximately two to three feet per year. You can encourage faster growth by providing a well-balanced fertilizer or compost. Also, ensure that red tip photinia is getting enough sunlight.
Are Red Tip Photinia fast growing?
It is a moderate to fast growing plant. Culture: While it is an extremely tough and vigorous plant that will grow in almost any soil, (except extremely wet ones), red tip photinia prefers a rich, well-drained soil. It prefers full sun to partial shade.
What is the fastest growing photinia?
Photinia `Red Robin’ is a fast-growing hedging plant. It has deep green leaves most of the year except for the new growth which is a vibrant red. Photinia is used to create a hedge in a hurry, mature plants can grow 1 metre per year and a newly planted hedge will grow to 1.5 metres within 2 years.
How tall is a 5 gallon Red Tip Photinia?
| Plant Type | Shrubs |
|---|---|
| Approximate size upon delivery* | 5 gallon, 20″h x 20″w Standard 15 gallon, 105″h x 40″w *Plant heights are taken from the top of the soil to the top of the plant and do not include the height of the container. |
| Deciduous / Evergreen | Evergreen |
| Bloom Time | Spring |
| Mature Size | 9 – 15′ h x 9 – 15′ w |
How fast does red tip photinia grow?
Red tip photinia grows fast, approximately two to three feet per year. You can encourage faster growth by providing a well-balanced fertilizer or compost. Also, ensure that red tip photinia is getting enough sunlight. How can I use this plant in the landscape?
What is a red tip photinia?
Red Tip Photinia, or Photinia × fraseri, is a large evergreen shrub or small tree known for its vibrant red new growth, which adds a pop of color to any garden. It can grow up to 15 feet tall, making it an excellent choice for a privacy hedge.
How big does a Chinese photinia grow?
Size & Growth Rate: Chinese photinia is larger than red tip or Japanese photinia, growing 20 to 30 feet tall and 15 to 20 feet wide. It may grow even larger with age. Chinese photinia is a moderate to fast growing plant. Culture: See Red Tip Photinia. Landscape Use: Chinese photinias are easily trained into small trees if lower limbs are removed.
How do you grow red tip photinia?
It is a moderate to fast growing plant. Culture: While it is an extremely tough and vigorous plant that will grow in almost any soil, (except extremely wet ones), red tip photinia prefers a rich, well-drained soil. It prefers full sun to partial shade. Good air circulation is a must.
Do red tip photinia flowers bloom?
Red Tip Photinia blooms might not be the most fragrant, but they certainly have their own charm. The flowering period typically occurs in late spring, with the plant producing small white flowers in clusters. These blooms add another layer of visual interest to the already stunning red and green foliage.
Does red tip photinia grow in Zone 6?
Red tip photinia flourishes in climate conditions across USDA growing zones 7 to 8, provided it gets good airflow to prevent fungal disease. It does not do well in very wet, humid environments. It can survive in zone 6 when planted in a location that is sheltered from harsh winds yet has generally good air circulation around the shrub.