Red Tip Photinia
Best vibrant shrub for creating a reliable, colorful garden hedge.
Red Tip Photinia is a fast-growing evergreen shrub renowned for its dense screening capabilities and striking red new growth. It forms a thick, year-round hedge with glossy green foliage that transitions from vibrant red tips in spring. This versatile plant can be shaped into a formal hedge or left natural for a softer screen, making it ideal for privacy, property lines, and backdrops. It thrives in full sun to partial shade and is heat and drought tolerant once established, requiring moderate watering. Pruning in late winter helps maintain density and health, preventing common leaf spot issues. Its spring blooms attract pollinators, and its dense structure offers cover for birds.
$32.95
Owner Satisfaction
4.6
/ 5
Category Rank
925
/ 3331
#925 in Bushes & Shrubs
Price vs Category Average
-16%
Below average
Hardiness Zone
79
/ -
Who it's for
- Gardeners seeking year-round visual interest and dynamic landscape appeal
- Homeowners desiring a natural, robust screen for privacy and boundary definition
- Individuals needing quick landscape establishment and adaptable, resilient plants
Who should skip it
- Gardeners in humid climates or those preferring low-spray, disease-resistant plants
- Busy individuals or those who prefer low-maintenance shrubs requiring minimal upkeep
- Small garden owners or those preferring compact, contained plants
Performance breakdown
Privacy Screening Speed
Rapid growth habit creates dense, effective visual barriers in record time.
Visual Impact
Stunning red spring foliage provides a high-contrast focal point for landscapes.
Environmental Resilience
Established plants handle heat and drought with impressive, low-maintenance reliability.
Maintenance Demand
Requires consistent pruning and airflow management to prevent common leaf spot.
Wildlife Utility
Dense structure and spring blooms offer meaningful support for local pollinators.
Versatility
Easily shaped into formal hedges or left natural for softer screens.
Key Specs
Hardiness Zone
7-9
Mature Height
10 to 15 feet
Mature Width
8 to 12 feet
Sunlight
Full sun to partial shade
Bloom Time
Spring
Bloom Color
Clusters of small white flowers
Soil Condition
Well-drained, adaptable; avoid consistently wet sites
Water Requirements
Moderate; drought tolerant once established
Features
- Fast-growing evergreen privacy hedge
- Striking red new growth
- Dense screening capabilities
- Glossy green foliage
- Heat and drought tolerant once established
- Attracts pollinators and provides wildlife cover
- Easy to shape for hedges and screens
What customers say
Customers frequently praise the exceptional quality of the Red Tip Photinia, noting its vibrant color and robust health upon arrival. Many reviewers highlight the plant's impressive reliability, consistently thriving and establishing quickly in various garden settings. The ease of growth is a recurring positive, making it a favored choice for both experienced gardeners and those new to landscaping. Its consistent performance and striking appearance contribute significantly to high satisfaction. This plant delivers on its promise of beauty and resilience, proving to be a dependable addition to any outdoor space.
Know before you buy
Red Tip Photinia is known for its rapid growth rate, making it an excellent choice for establishing privacy quickly. Under optimal conditions, you can expect significant height and width gains each season until it reaches its mature size of 10 to 15 feet.
This shrub is best suited for USDA hardiness zones 7 through 9. It is highly heat and drought tolerant once established, but it should be avoided in areas with consistently wet soil or extreme cold outside of these zones.
Leaf spot is a common issue for this variety, often caused by poor air circulation. You can minimize the risk by pruning in late winter to open up the center of the plant and ensuring it is planted in a location with good sunlight and airflow.
Yes, Red Tip Photinia responds very well to pruning and can easily be maintained as a formal, dense hedge. Regular trimming helps encourage the vibrant red new growth and keeps the plant at your desired height and width.
While it needs moderate watering during its first year to establish a strong root system, it becomes quite drought tolerant once mature. It prefers well-drained soil and will not perform well in sites that stay soggy or waterlogged.
It is a great choice for supporting local ecosystems. The spring blooms attract various pollinating insects, and the dense, evergreen foliage provides essential shelter and nesting cover for birds throughout the year.
Still have a question?
Ask Hayley anything about this product before you decide.
Ready to buy?
$33