How to Grow Photinia × fraseri? Master Its Growth Characteristics and Cultivation Management Methods
I. Plant Characteristics of Photinia × fraseri
Photinia × fraseri has very strong adaptability, tolerates low temperatures, tolerates poor soil, and has a certain tolerance to saline-alkali soil and drought. It prefers strong light and also has strong shade tolerance, but under direct sunlight its color is more vivid.
(1) Photinia × fraseri grows quickly and has strong sprouting ability and tolerance to pruning. It can be cultivated into different tree forms according to landscaping needs and has a wide range of uses in landscaping. One- to two-year-old Photinia × fraseri can be pruned into low shrubs, planted in patches as ground cover in garden green spaces, or combined with other colorful-leaf plants to form various patterns; it can also be cultivated into small trees with an inconspicuous single trunk and a clumping form, mass-planted into large hedges or screen walls, and used in residential areas, factory green spaces, street or highway green isolation belts. When the hedge or screen wall is a sheet of fiery red, it is very gorgeous and full of vibrant beauty; Photinia × fraseri can also be cultivated into a tree with a single trunk and a spherical crown, planted as a specimen in green spaces, or used as a street tree, or potted and placed in porches and indoors.
(2) At present, there are very few evergreen or semi-evergreen red-leaf tree species commonly used in landscaping in China. The common ones include Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum and Berberis thunbergii f. atropurpurea, but the leaves of these two species have a low degree of leatheriness, and their cold tolerance is worse than that of Photinia × fraseri; Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum is only suitable for planting in acidic soil. Although Berberis thunbergii f. atropurpurea has strong adaptability to soil, it is a semi-evergreen or deciduous tree species, and the leaves of both species are dark purplish red. Whether in ecological adaptability or leaf ornamental value, neither can compare with the bright red of Photinia × fraseri.
(3) Photinia × fraseri has been widely used abroad, especially in Europe, America, and Japan, and is known as the "king of red-leaf hedges." However, in China it is still a tree species newly introduced and developed in recent years. It is currently in the seedling propagation stage, with only a small number of seedlings supplied to the market, and there are not yet large-specification seedlings for garden application, which is far from meeting the needs of nurseries and landscaping projects. Therefore, this tree species has broad market prospects and huge development potential.
II. Varieties of Photinia × fraseri
A general introduction to the four varieties commonly found on the market and commonly used in projects:
(1) Red Robin
The leaf margin serration is more obvious than that of other varieties, and individual differences are greater than those of other varieties. Young leaves begin to emerge in late February, and as sunlight intensifies, the leaf color turns dark red in late spring; young branches and new leaves are bright red until mid-to-late May. In late September, autumn leaves sprout and turn bright red again. Compared with other varieties, its red-leaf period is longer, but shorter than that of Rubens. The leaves are relatively large, 12 cm to 20 cm, and the cuticle layer on the leaf surface is relatively thick, making it look especially glossy, but new leaves are more
Photinia × fraseri
prone to leaf scorch than other varieties. It has strong sprouting ability, one-year-old branches are red, and its growth rate is faster than that of other varieties. The branches are thick and strong, and the plant shape is compact. It tolerates pruning. The flowering period is April to May. It tolerates a minimum temperature of -12°C and is suitable for planting in areas south of the Yellow River.
(2) Red Lips
Leaves alternate, elliptical, ovate, leaf length 7 cm to 10 cm, length-to-width ratio 2:1, leaf tip acute, leaf margin with neat small serrations. New buds are red-copper colored, new leaves are red, slightly pink, old leaves turn glossy dark green, and the underside gradually becomes lighter; petiole 1 cm to 2.5 cm long, covered with down. It blooms in mid-April and has relatively poor cold tolerance.
(3) Robust
This variety gets its name because it grows especially vigorously. One-year-old branches are relatively green, with strong sprouting ability and extremely good tolerance to pruning. Compared with other varieties, it grows faster, the branches are thicker and stronger, the upright habit is very strong, the leaves are larger, and the flowers are more abundant. However, the red color of the leaves lasts for a shorter time than in other varieties, and the leaf red is lighter, being a pinkish orange-red. It has strong resistance.
(4) Rubens
The leaves are relatively small, generally about 9 cm. The branching ability is average. The leaves and branches are smaller than those of Red Robin, Red Lips, and Robust. The cuticle layer on the leaf surface is relatively thin, and the leaf color is bright red, but the glossiness is not as good as that of Red Robin. One-year-old branches are grayish dark. In spring, the leaves show red 7 days to 10 days earlier than other varieties, and the red-leaf period is about 10 days longer than other varieties. In spring, the new leaves are red like sealing wax. After autumn, the leaf color is bright red. Its resistance is stronger than other varieties, and it is relatively more cold-tolerant, tolerating a minimum low temperature of -18°C.
(5) Fire Charm
Its color changes in multiple ways, producing different colors with factors such as climate, soil, and light. It is also one of the varieties with the longest red-leaf period. The new buds are bright red, and the new leaves are so red that they are shiny and translucent. It is a new variety hybridized from Photinia glabra.
III. Seedling Transplanting Management Methods
The transplanting time is generally March to April in spring and October to November in autumn, and the specific timing should be decided according to local climatic conditions. The planting spacing should be determined according to the time left in the nursery and the cultivation goal. If the plan is to sell them as one-year-old small shrubs, a plant and row spacing of 35 × 35 cm or 40 × 40 cm is suitable, about 3000 plants per mu.
When transplanting seedlings, carefully remove the packaging or take off the nutrient pot, ensure the root soil ball remains intact, and dig holes at fixed points; pile fine soil at the roots, spread the root system, and press lightly. After planting, water thoroughly with settling water in time. Post-planting management of Photinia × fraseri
During the seedling recovery period after planting, special attention should be paid to water management. If there are consecutive sunny days, water once 3 to 4 days after transplanting, and then about once every 10 days; if there are consecutive rainy days, drain in time. After about 15 days, once the seedlings have passed the recovery period, fertilizer can be applied. In spring, apply urea once every half month, about 5 kg per mu. In summer and autumn, apply compound fertilizer once every half month, at 5 kg per mu; in winter, apply well-rotted organic fertilizer once, at 1500 kg per mu, preferably by trenching and burying. Fertilization should follow the principle of light fertilizer applied frequently, and the amount should not be too large at one time, so as to avoid damaging roots and burning seedlings. At ordinary times, weed and loosen the soil in time to prevent soil compaction.
IV. Sowing and Seedling-Raising Techniques for Photinia × fraseri
The main propagation method for Photinia × fraseri is sowing. After stratifying the seeds, sow them the following spring. Photinia seeds can be harvested in late October, then mixed with wet sand and stored in a flowerpot, and taken out for sowing in mid-March the following spring. Cuttings can also be done from July to September, or layering in autumn. Generally, pruning is not needed, nor is special management. For the specific sowing method, mix one-third river sand into the soil, make and level the bed, with a bed width of 1.3 m, row spacing of 20 cm, 5 rows per bed, use a small hoe to open furrows for drilling, with a furrow depth of 2 to 3 cm, and cover with mixed soil. Thin the seedlings in May, and plant the thinned seedlings at a plant and row spacing of 20 × 20 cm, watering as you plant, resulting in a high survival rate.
V. Pest and Disease Control
Photinia × fraseri has relatively strong resistance, and no devastating pests or diseases have been found. However, if management is improper or the nursery environment is poor, gray mold, leaf spot, or damage from scale insects, cutworms, and the like may occur.
For gray mold, a 1000-fold dilution of 50% carbendazim can be sprayed for prevention, and during the disease period, an 800-fold dilution of 50% zineb can be sprayed for control.
For leaf spot, a 300-400-fold dilution of 60% carbendazim or a 300-400-fold dilution of thiophanate can be used for control. For scale insects, a 200-fold dilution of dimethoate emulsifiable concentrate can be sprayed, or an 800-1000-fold dilution can be sprayed for control.
Control of cutworms should be carried out before planting. The soil should be deeply plowed appropriately, and phosphorus-containing insecticides such as Tuchong Bisha should be spread. If cutworm damage occurs after planting, remedial treatment should be carried out in time; otherwise, once it spreads, the harm is great, especially to Photinia × fraseri at the seedling stage, and it may cause large-area death.
VI. The Following Measures Can Ensure It Achieves the Ideal Red-Leaf Effect
In recent years, many new and superior colorful-leaf trees -- Photinia × fraseri -- have been planted in Shanghai's garden green spaces, but after application they often fail to achieve the ideal red-leaf effect. This is because the red color of Photinia × fraseri seen in materials is based on still images, leaving only the most beautiful viewpoint, without dynamics and changes, and not viewed from all angles. If cultivation and management are improper, the ornamental period of its red leaves will be very short, and the ornamental value will be greatly reduced. At this time, mistakenly thinking that seedling vendors or producers have acted deceptively, or that the materials' descriptions are exaggerated, is actually unnecessary. In fact, the main reason is not having mastered the ecological habits and cultivation techniques of Photinia × fraseri. To make planted Photinia × fraseri achieve the expected red-leaf effect, its varietal characteristics and cultivation features should be carefully studied.
Ornamental characteristics of Photinia × fraseri: new leaves are bright red, and the red-leaf period is long. Compared with Photinia or other varieties, it produces red leaves multiple times a year, and the red of new leaves is slightly inferior in high-temperature seasons; after new shoots emerge, new leaves grow, and more new shoots can extend the ornamental period. The growth pattern of Photinia × fraseri is that generally in spring, buds sprout when the temperature is above 10 degrees. First the red buds are seen, then red tender shoots emerge, and after shoot growth stops, the small red leaves grow. At this time the leaves are reddest, until the leaves grow larger. If fertilizer and water are suitable at this time, the branches will continue to grow and new leaves will emerge. As long as fertilizer and water are sufficient, it can produce new shoots and grow new leaves multiple times a year. According to this pattern of Photinia × fraseri and cultivation practice, the following measures can ensure it achieves the ideal red-leaf effect.
1. Optimize soil structure and fertility: The soil at the planting site should be loose, aerated, and have a certain fertility. For poorer soil, apply more well-rotted organic fertilizer and turn it into the soil before planting. When planting, the organic matter content in the soil should reach more than 2%; timely loosening of the soil and weeding are very important for improving soil aeration and growth conditions.
2. Reasonable water supply: The soil should maintain a water content of 20-35%. This requires timely drainage after rain, and timely watering and spraying during high temperatures and when there is no rain. A decrease in soil moisture will inhibit its growth activity, accelerate leaf aging, prevent new leaves from growing, and shorten the red-leaf period. Under suitable temperatures, maintaining appropriate soil moisture is the key to maintenance. Reasonable soil loosening is also an effective measure to regulate soil moisture and make it loose and aerated.
3. Timely and adequate fertilizer supply: Nutrients in the soil gradually decrease as the plant grows. In fertile soil, seedlings grow vigorously and do not need fertilization. If new shoots grow weakly and stop growing relatively quickly, fertilizer should be supplemented in time. Apply compound fertilizer once every 1-2 months, and during the growing season apply nitrogen fertilizer containing about 3% once every 1-2 weeks to ensure timely emergence of new shoots. For poor growth, a moderate amount of fertilizer can be applied after pruning. Generally, supplementing fertilizer after pruning is beneficial to new shoot growth, but it must not be excessive.
4. Planting location: It should be at the forest edge or beside garden paths with trees nearby and at the edge of lawns. Avoid planting in soil that is often trampled and at wind gaps of buildings.
5. Reasonable pruning: Proper pruning is an effective means of maintaining tree shape and regulating growth vigor. Pruning can improve ventilation and light transmission between leaves and reduce the occurrence of pests and diseases, with the purpose of improving the ornamental value of Photinia × fraseri. It is generally done in early spring, early summer, and early autumn before budding or in the later stage of new shoot growth. The severity of pruning can be determined according to the growth vigor of the branches and shoots. In principle, remove the weak and keep the strong, and treat medium ones appropriately, maintaining a beautiful tree shape. Generally, the cut is about 0.5 cm above the node. Do not leave dead stubs, and pruning should be coordinated with fertilizer and water supplementation. If shoots grow too fast, pinch them multiple times to promote branching and prevent gaps and a thin, tall tree shape.
In short, Photinia × fraseri is an excellent foliage plant. To achieve good ornamental results in application depends entirely on scientific and reasonable cultivation measures.
Planting Spacing of Photinia × fraseri: Teaching You to Avoid Spacing Pitfalls
Photinia × fraseri balls are a new variety that has been promoted in the market, has become hot-selling, and has been recognized by the market. The main production areas are distributed in the Jiangsu-Zhejiang region. The temperature conditions in the Jiangsu-Zhejiang region provide excellent natural conditions for the growth and cultivation of Photinia × fraseri. So what is the planting spacing of Photinia × fraseri? Below, wed114 will tell everyone what the planting spacing of Photinia × fraseri is, hoping to be helpful to everyone.
Planting spacing of Photinia × fraseri:
It has strong sprouting ability. Because of its tolerance to pruning and its rich colors, it has become the first-choice seedling for garden landscape hedges. Photinia × fraseri hedges grow quickly, have strong sprouting ability, and tolerate pruning, and can be used in multifunctional, multi-level, and three-dimensional applications according to garden needs. They have extremely strong ornamental value. In the fast-paced life, what is lacking is color and emotion, while Photinia × fraseri hedges can give people living in cities a kind of green warmth. Below, the author introduces the spacing for it in garden or landscaping planting.
Photinia × fraseri hedges are densely planted with close plant and row spacing, planted in single or double rows, in a closely combined regular planting form, mainly used for green isolation belts and hedge walls in squares, parks, and the like. When doing courtyard landscaping, the planting spacing of Photinia × fraseri hedges has always been an aspect that many growers are confused about. Generally, Photinia × fraseri hedges can be planted in three rows in sequence, known as the "three-point plum blossom style" (which can also be done in a pin character shape) planting method: each row is planted in a staggered position, with a spacing of 15-20 cm between each plant and 15 cm between each row. This can be determined according to the crown width and height of the Photinia × fraseri hedge being planted. Photinia × fraseri hedges have a very good sound-insulation effect. Dense planting in areas with serious noise such as urban roads can effectively reduce noise, and it also has strong resistance to sulfur dioxide and chlorine gas. Planting near factories is very good for environmental protection.
Growth Habits of Photinia × fraseri:
Photinia × fraseri prefers a warm, humid, and sunny environment. It has strong cold tolerance and can tolerate a minimum temperature of -18°C. It prefers strong light and also has strong shade tolerance. It is suitable for various medium-fertility soils. It tolerates poor soil and has a certain tolerance to saline-alkali soil and drought. It does not tolerate waterlogging. Photinia × fraseri grows quickly, has strong sprouting ability, tolerates pruning, and is easy to transplant and shape. Garden use: Photinia × fraseri has luxuriant branches and leaves and a round spherical crown. In early spring the young leaves are deep red, in early summer there are flecks of white flowers, in late autumn there are abundant red fruits, and in winter the old leaves remain evergreen, giving it high garden ornamental value. Its new shoots and young leaves are bright red and long-lasting, dazzlingly beautiful, and the infructescence is also red. In autumn and winter, red and green alternate, giving it great ornamental value. It is a rare red-leaf series foliage and colorful-leaf tree species among agricultural and spring tree species. It has strong sprouting ability and tolerates pruning. In the Yellow River basin and south of it, it can have brilliant flame-like red almost all year round, thereby extending the ornamental period, and it has a wide range of uses in landscaping. Because it tolerates pruning and has rich colors in all four seasons, it is suitable for high-grade color bands in garden landscapes. One- to two-year-old Photinia × fraseri can be pruned into low shrubs,
Variety Classification of Photinia × fraseri:
There are about 60 varieties of Photinia × fraseri worldwide, mainly produced in the subtropical and temperate regions of southeastern and eastern Asia and North America.
Planting Techniques for Photinia × fraseri:
Selection of Culture Soil
The soil for planting Photinia × fraseri is preferably loose, fertile, and slightly acidic to neutral. Sandy soil is the best choice for cultivation. In fact, Photinia × fraseri is not strict about soil requirements and can also grow normally in red and yellow soils.
Cultivation of Cuttings
Under normal circumstances, Photinia × fraseri is propagated by cuttings, so branches that grow robustly and are free of pests and diseases should be selected. Note that the cuttings are best taken from semi-lignified tender branches or lignified current-year branches. According to these standards, cut 6 cm-10 cm long branches from the plant to serve as cuttings.
Seedling Transplanting
The planting time of Photinia × fraseri is generally March to April in spring and October to November in autumn, and the specific timing should be decided according to local climatic conditions. The planting spacing should be determined according to the time left in the nursery and the cultivation goal. If the plan is to sell them as one-year-old small shrubs, a plant and row spacing of 35 × 35 cm or 40 × 40 cm is suitable, about 3000 plants per mu for transplanting.
Pruning and Shaping
Photinia × fraseri has particularly strong branch sprouting ability and grows very quickly. It is a tree species that is extremely tolerant to pruning and easy to shape. Therefore, Photinia × fraseri can be pruned and shaped all year round, but shaping should mainly be done in winter, mainly by heading back, thinning branches, and the like. In summer high temperatures, it is not suitable to carry out heading back or heavy heading back pruning; otherwise, it is relatively difficult for the plant to recover its tree vigor after pruning.
Appropriate Watering
Photinia × fraseri prefers moisture, but excessive water can easily cause disease, so water must be strictly controlled. Watering should be appropriate, but there must be no water accumulation. The best watering time is from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. every day, or from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Pay Attention to Fertilization
Fertilizing Photinia × fraseri should follow the principle of light application and frequent application. In spring, apply urea once every half month, about 5 kg per mu; in summer and autumn, apply compound fertilizer once every half month, about 5 kg per mu; in winter, apply well-rotted organic fertilizer once, about 1500 kg per mu, preferably by trenching and burying.
Pest and Disease Control
Photinia × fraseri has relatively strong resistance, and no devastating pests or diseases have been found for the time being. However, if management is improper or the nursery environment is poor, gray mold, leaf spot, or damage from scale insects, cutworms, and the like may very likely occur. If these pests and diseases occur, attention should be paid to timely corresponding measures for control, so as to ensure the normal growth of Photinia × fraseri.
How to Make Photinia × fraseri Even Redder and More Brilliant?
As a colorful-leaf tree species in the southern provinces, Photinia × fraseri has achieved satisfactory landscape results in environmental beautification and greening applications. Its leaves are red, brilliant, and beautiful, it is not strict about site selection, it is easy to plant and manage, its branches and leaves have strong sprouting ability, and it tolerates pruning. It has already left the most beautiful visual effect in gardens and urban greening and shows broad application prospects.
However, according to observation, when planted in some places, due to insufficient understanding of its growth characteristics, or because environmental conditions and supporting techniques cannot keep up, its red-leaf period becomes shorter, or its color is not as vivid as before, and it is also inferior to the long-favored Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum, which can maintain a long-lasting bright red color. Through a relatively long period of observation, because Photinia × fraseri grows in some slightly alkaline alluvial plain soils around Dongting Lake, where fertilizer and water conditions are relatively good and growth is fast, not long after pruning, new branches emerge again, and the color shows a trend of fading, so pruning is necessary to maintain consistency in ornamental effect. In addition, because the leaves of Photinia × fraseri are relatively large, there are not many landscape plants that match it, and it is also relatively difficult to choose good companion plants. So how can its strengths be brought into play and its color remain bright red through reasonable cultivation that promotes advantages and avoids disadvantages?
First, varieties should be selected reasonably. Photinia × fraseri has bright red new leaves and a relatively long red-leaf period. At present, the common varieties include Red Robin, Red Lips, Rubens, Robust, and several others. When using it as a main variety in street trees, clumping hedges, and park color blocks and color balls, Red Robin and Rubens should be chosen. Red Robin's leaf margin serration is more obvious than others, its cuticle layer is thicker, its leaves are larger, and its leaf surface is glossy; while Rubens has smaller leaves, a thinner leaf cuticle layer, and less glossiness than Red Robin. Comparing the two, because Red Robin has a thicker leaf cuticle layer, although new bud emergence decreases somewhat during high-temperature periods in summer and autumn, it still emerges, and by October to November the young leaves of new shoots are even more fiery red and brilliant, dazzling and shining. Other varieties, such as Red Lips, whose new buds are red-copper colored, new leaves are pink, and old leaves turn dark green; and the Robust variety, whose leaf color is lighter and whose leaf red lasts for a shorter time than other varieties, are both inferior to Red Robin and Rubens.
Second, attention should be paid to the adaptation of soil and water-fertilizer conditions. Although Photinia × fraseri is not strict about soil selection, the soil at the planting site should be loose, aerated, and have a certain fertility, and the organic matter content in the soil should reach about 2%. According to experimental observation, when Photinia × fraseri is planted in slightly alkaline soil in alluvial plains where water and fertilizer conditions are relatively good, the brightness of its vivid leaf color and the length of time it is maintained are both lower and shorter than those of Photinia × fraseri growing in slightly acidic red soil or loam. When planted in areas around the lake region with a relatively high groundwater level, in sections with poor trench drainage during low-temperature ice and snow weather in winter, a certain degree of seedling death occurs, indicating that their waterlogging resistance is relatively poor. Therefore, the soil water content required for the growth of Photinia × fraseri is about 20%-35%. Insufficient soil moisture supply will inhibit growth activity, accelerate leaf aging, prevent new leaves from growing, and shorten the red-leaf period. When planting Photinia × fraseri in areas with compacted soil, the soil needs to be loosened and fertilizer supplemented in time to ensure timely emergence of new shoots. For poor growth, appropriately supplementing fertilizer after pruning is beneficial to new shoot growth, but it must not be excessive. Try to avoid planting in soil that is often trampled or at wind gaps of buildings; not only will growth be affected, but the red brilliance of the leaves will also be far inferior to that of Photinia × fraseri growing in slightly acidic red soil.
Third, reasonable pruning should be carried out at the right time. Proper pruning can improve ventilation and light transmission between leaves. Improve the ornamental value of Photinia × fraseri. It is generally done in early spring, early summer, and early autumn before budding or in the later stage of new shoot growth, according to planting conditions and the growth status of the seedlings themselves. Pruning too late is unfavorable to the next stage of growth of Photinia × fraseri; pruning too early will cut away good landscape features. To promote branching of Photinia × fraseri, methods such as pinching, heading back, and heavy heading back can be used for shaping pruning. When pruning, the principle is to remove the weak and keep the strong, and treat medium ones appropriately, maintaining a beautiful tree shape. Generally, the cut is about 0.5 cm above the node. Do not leave stubs; when shoots grow too fast, pinch the growing tips multiple times to promote branching and prevent gaps and a thin, tall tree shape. Note that in the high-temperature season in summer, it is not suitable to use heading back or heavy heading back; otherwise, it is relatively difficult for the plant to recover its growth, affecting the landscape effect.