Photinia fraseri Chico - Christmas Berry

The  Photinia fraseri 'Chico' is a brand new variety of Photinia that stands out for its small size and very bushy habit, perfectly suited for small spaces. Resistant to diseases, this next-generation photinia also has the advantage of producing vibrant red shoots turning copper during the entire season and after each pruning. In spring, colorful young leaves, cream flower umbels, and mature leaves in shiny dark green coexist on this bush that is full of character. Its excellent screening power, even in winter, is another asset that is sought after to create an elegant and effective screen. Comfortable in any good garden soil, even by the sea, this new Photinia is perfectly suited for container culture.

The Photinia (x) fraseri or Fraser Photinia is an old horticultural hybrid born in 1940 in the United States. It is the result of cross-breeding between the Photinia glabra, native to Japan, and the Photinia serrulata, native to China. This hybrid has given rise to some famous cultivars, including 'Red Robin', which is widely planted in our parks and gardens. In recent years, some beautiful improvements have emerged, which are more compact, more colorful, and more disease-resistant, such as 'Chico'.

Only rarely exceeding 1 m (3ft) in height and 80 cm (32in) in width, the Photinia Chico has a bushy, rounded, and very dense habit. It has a rather fast growth rate. Its particularly ramified vegetation is adorned with evergreen foliage, even in winter. It is composed of leaves that are thinner than those of Red Robin. Arranged alternately on the branches, they are approximately 6-8cm (2-3in) long, finely toothed at the edges, bright red-orange when young, gradually turning copper, and then shiny green when mature. In March or April, clusters of small white-cream flowers appear, reaching up to 10 cm (4in) in diameter at the terminal ends of the branches.

In addition to the beautiful coloration of its young foliage, it is also the hardiness and adaptability to all types of soil that have earned the Photinia (x) fraseri worldwide success. Just like it, 'Chico' can withstand all types of well-drained soil, from deep to moist to dry, in sunny or semi-shady locations. It is an easy-to-cultivate and easy-to-maintain bush that can tolerate temperatures down to -18°C when exposed to the sun. Of course, it is ideal for creating small trimmed or untrimmed hedges, and it adapts well to container culture and looks impressive in flower beds. Very ornamental, it can also be planted as a standalone in a small garden. There are numerous possibilities for associations depending on the region and the taste of each gardener; with other easy-to-maintain evergreen bushes such as Elaeagnus ebbingei Compacta, small-sized laurel-tins, Rhamnus alaternus, Berberis, Olearia, Lonicera nitida, or Lonicera xylosteum Clavey's Dwarf, for example. It can also accompany other white spring-flowering bushes such as Spirea or Mock Orange.

Tips: Excessively chalky or clayey soils should be avoided. Pruning for balance is necessary in summer.