Photinia fraseri Little Red Robin - Christmas Berry

Photinia x fraseri 'Little Red Robin', also known as the 'Red Robin' dwarf Photinia, is a dwarf version of the famous Photinia x fraseri 'Red Robin'. This evergreen shrub with a rounded and dense habit also owes its aesthetic qualities to the changing colours of its foliage, which evolves from bright red on young shoots in spring to shiny green on mature leaves. Its spring flowering in umbels of small cream-coloured and nectar-rich flowers enhances the charm of this robust and versatile shrub.

The 'Red Robin' dwarf Photinia belongs to the Rosaceae family. It is an Italian horticultural selection. The Photinia x fraseri or Fraser Photinia is an old horticultural creation that originated in the United States in 1940. This hybrid is the result of cross-breeding between the Photinia glabra from Japan and the Photinia serrulata native to China. It 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 been made, with more compact and colourful varieties.

The 'Little Red Robin' Photinia has a rounded and dense habit, and the shrub will reach approximately 1m (3 to 4ft) in all directions at maturity. Its growth rate is quite slow.
Its evergreen leaves are glossy and bright red when they emerge, gradually turning to shiny green. The rounded and flattened inflorescences are composed of numerous small cream-white flowers that are slightly fragrant and nectar-rich. They appear between May and June, depending on the climate.  Followed in August and September by small decorative red and then black fruits, which are toxic to humans but appreciated by birds. The bark of the young branches is red and decorative. In colder regions, avoid locations exposed to cold and dry winds, even though this variety can tolerate occasional temperatures as low as -15°C (5°F). Annual pruning is sufficient to maintain a compact habit and should be done at the end of summer to avoid interfering with future flowering.

The 'Red Robin' dwarf Photinia will be very useful for creating borders, in mixed flower beds with other shrubs, or planted in pots to enhance the terrace or balcony. The very modest growth of this shrub makes it perfectly suited for small gardens. To highlight it, you can have a small climbing clematis (Clematis Prince Charles, 'Blue light', Clematis Josephine) climb its branches and plant perennial geraniums with spring flowering at its base: Geranium Rozanne, G. macrorrhizum, Géranium Blue Cloud... Also consider Berberis 'Admiration' or Physocarpus 'Amber Jubilee', for example, as companions.