Photinia fraseri Red Select

Photinia Fraseri 'Red Select' is a natural mutation of the famous 'Red Robin'.  As such, it is also among the best evergreen bush hedges. It stands out with the darker coloration of its young leaves, a beautiful shiny purple, as well as their increased size. Following each pruning, but also throughout the summer season if the soil remains slightly moist, this selection produces young shoots. In spring, colourful young leaves, white umbels of flowers, and mature leaves of a glossy green coexist on the plant, which is full of character. Comfortable in any good garden soil, even by the sea, hardy down to -15 °C (5°F), this Photinia adapts to most of our regions.

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

Reaching approximately 3m (10ft) in height and 2m (7ft) in width if not pruned, Photinia Red Select has a naturally bushy, dense, and upright habit, and shows rapid growth. Its vegetation is adorned with evergreen foliage in winter, composed of leaves arranged alternately on the branches. They are tough and glossy on the top, 7 to 9cm (3 to 4in) long, shiny, finely toothed along the edges, transitioning from dark red to bronze and then to dark green. Between March and May, depending on the region, clusters of slightly dull cream-white flowers appear, reaching 10cm (4in) in diameter, partly at the ends of the branches. They are mildly fragrant and attract numerous pollinating insects. This hybrid variety rarely produces fruit.

In addition to the beautiful coloration of its young foliage, it is also its hardiness and adaptability to all types of well-drained and deep soil that have earned the Photinia (x) fraseri worldwide success. Just like it, 'Red Select' tolerates all types of well-drained and deep soil, from moist to dry in summer, in sunny or semi-shaded positions. It is an easy-to-cultivate and maintain shrub. It is an ideal candidate for creating medium-sized hedges, trimmed or untrimmed, as well as for landscaping large shrub beds. There are numerous ideas for associations depending on the regions and the preferences of each gardener: with other easy-to-grow evergreen shrubs such as Elaeagnus ebbingei, laurels, Rhamnus alaternus Argenteovariegata, Berberis, holly, Osmanthus... It will also accompany other white spring-flowering shrubs such as Spiraea or Philadelphus.

Tips: Excessively chalky or clay soils should be avoided. Balancing pruning may be necessary in summer.