Photinia x fraseri 'Carré Rouge'

Photinia Fraseri 'Carré Rouge' resembles the 'Red Robin' variety, but this evergreen bush has a more compact habit and vegetation that is both denser and more colourful. After each pruning, this bush produces bright cherry-red young shoots, which unfold into shiny and gleaming young leaves amongst the older leaves, which are equally shiny but have turned green.  In spring, red young leaves, white flower umbels, and mature leaves of a dark glossy green coexist on this bush, which is full of character. Moderate growth and excellent winter screening power are other assets sought after for creating an elegant and sturdy hedge. Comfortable in any good garden soil, even by the sea, this new Photinia also adapts very well to container cultivation.

Photinia x fraseri or Fraser's Photinia is an old horticultural selection born in 1940 in the United States. This hybrid is  a result of cross-breeding between Photinia glabra, native to Japan, and 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 emerged, more compact, colorful, and disease-resistant, such as 'Carré Rouge', recently selected in France.

Not exceeding 3m (10ft) in height and 2m (7ft) in width, Photinia 'Carré Rouge' has a naturally compact and very dense habit and shows rapid growth. Its very dense foliage, which remains evergreen in winter, is composed of leaves arranged alternately on the branches. They are approximately 5-7cm (2-3in) long, finely toothed along the edges, and bright red when young, then become a shiny green when mature. The young shoots are also remarkably colored with cherry-red. In March or April, clusters of small white flowers appear, reaching 10cm (4in) in diameter, mainly at the ends of the branches. They are slightly fragrant and attract many pollinating insects.

In addition to the beautiful colouration of its young foliage, Photinia x fraseri has also gained worldwide success due to its hardiness and adaptability to all types of well-drained soils, from deep and moist to dry, in sunny or semi-shaded locations. Like it, 'Carré Rouge' tolerates all types of well-drained soils, from deep and moist to dry, in sunny or semi-shaded locations. It is an easy-to-grow and easy-to-maintain bush that can withstand temperatures of up to -15°C when exposed to the sun. Of course, it is ideal for creating pruned or unpruned hedges, it also adapts very well to container cultivation and is impressive in flower beds. Very ornamental, it can also be planted as a standalone specimen in a small garden. There are numerous ideas for associations depending on the regions and the taste of each gardener: with other easy-to-grow evergreen shrubs such as Elaeagnus ebbingei 'Compacta', laurel, Rhamnus alaternus, Berberis, Olearia, holly, or Osmanthus. It will also accompany other white spring-flowering shrubs such as Spiraea or Philadelphus.

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