Red Tip Photinia

Red tip photinia is the fast-growing evergreen hedge plant that produces vivid, bright red new growth in spring, the color is so intense that a photinia hedge in flush looks like it is on fire. The mature foliage is dark green and leathery, and small, white flowers in umbel-like clusters appear in spring. It grows ten to fifteen feet tall with an upright, dense habit that responds well to shearing. A hybrid between Asian and North American photinia species, it became one of the most widely planted hedging plants across the milder climates of the western United States.

The problem with red tip photinia in Western Washington is Entomosporium leaf spot, a fungal disease that thrives in the wet spring weather that defines our climate. Infected leaves develop small red-purple spots that expand and cause premature leaf drop, sometimes defoliating the plant by midsummer. Repeated defoliation weakens and eventually kills the plant. In the Southeast, where summers are hotter and drier, the disease is less persistent. Here, it is chronic. If you inherit an existing photinia hedge that is healthy, maintain it with good air circulation and sanitation. If you are choosing a new hedge, consider alternatives that do not carry the Entomosporium liability, Portuguese laurel, holly osmanthus, or Japanese holly all provide evergreen screening without the disease risk.