Red Robin

Red Robin (Photinia x fraseri 'Red Robin') is the fast, frost hardy hedge for gardeners south of the tropics. Every flush of new growth emerges brilliant lacquer red before hardening to deep glossy green, so a trimmed hedge repeats that colour two or three times a year rather than once. Left alone it makes a small tree of about 4m tall and 3m wide. Planted a metre apart and trimmed, it closes into a solid screen in roughly two seasons.

Why you'll love it

• Red growth on demand. Every trim triggers a new red flush, so two or three cuts a year keep it coloured.
• Genuinely fast. Close to a metre of growth a year once established, the practical answer to an ugly fence.
• Frost hardy. Unlike most screening plants it is properly cold tolerant, so it suits cool temperate gardens and the tablelands.
• Takes shaping. It reshoots readily from old wood, so a neglected hedge can be cut back hard and rebuilt.
• Wind, salt and dry tolerant. It stands up on exposed boundaries and coastal blocks, and shrugs off dry spells.

Where it works best

Hedging. Plant 1m apart in a single row, held between 1.5m and 3m with regular trims. Closer spacing does not close the gap faster.

Screening and privacy. For a taller screen let it run to 3m or 4m and trim the sides only. A double staggered row at 1m spacing adds depth on a wide boundary.

Topiary and shaping. Balls, cones and standards all work, and dense branching is forgiving.

Growing Red Robin in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the strongest red and the densest hedge; in part shade the colour dulls and the screen stays open. Suited to cool temperate, warm temperate, subtropical and Mediterranean gardens. It dislikes constant heat and humidity, so in the wet tropics choose a lilly pilly instead.

Soil. Not fussy about type, but it must drain: wet feet in heavy clay is the main cause of dieback. Plant on a raised mound in clay, and mulch 75mm deep clear of the stems.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first summer, then only in dry spells. Feed with a complete slow release fertiliser in early spring and late summer to drive the colour flushes.

Pruning and pets. Tip prune from planting so the hedge furnishes at the base, then trim after each red flush hardens. The foliage contains cyanogenic compounds, so rake up clippings and keep them away from grazing animals and dogs that chew.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in seven sizes, from tube to 45L. Tubes and 140mm packs of ten are the value choice for a long boundary: a season slower to close, but quick to root in and cheap enough to plant properly. The 200mm packs of six and 250mm packs of three are the usual middle ground. The 300mm, 400mm and 45L sizes arrive already branched with real height.

Plants are packed to travel upright and delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Expect a quiet few weeks after planting, then the first red flush within about six weeks. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Compare hedging and screening plants
• How to plant and maintain a screening hedge
• Preparing a garden bed before planting
• Browse trees for shade and structure

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a hedge?

One metre apart in a single row. At that spacing the plants knit into a solid face within about two seasons without thinning at the base.

Why has my new growth stopped coming out red?

Almost always shade or a lack of trimming. Red appears only on new growth, so a hedge that is never cut has nothing to colour. Move it to full sun and trim two or three times a year.

What are the black spots on the leaves?

Leaf spot, which turns up where air movement is poor or foliage stays wet. Water at the base, thin crossing branches and remove affected leaves.