In milder parts of the country evergreen bushes are a big part of the garden, giving a permanent look and lots of green in winter. The problem is, for many of the most widely grown, green is all you get. What is missing is something like the colorful spring blooming that gardeners in cooler zones enjoy, to lift our spirits after winter, and tell us that spring has arrived. It doesn’t have to be that way, and we think so highly of the Red Fury™ Photinia because it does put on a wonderful show in spring, not just of blooms but of a stunning combination of colored leaves and flower clusters. The glossy, dark-green leaves that have looked so good all winter are suddenly hidden beneath a vibrant show of red leaves, and nestling among them are large clusters of white blooms, making a wonderful display for several weeks. Combine that with a shrub that is tough, reliable, drought-resistant and fast-growing, and you have a real winner. Use it as background in your shrub beds or for hedges and you will love it. It even makes a great shrub for planters, where its drought-tolerance makes for easy-care even during hot weather.

Growing the Red Fury™ Photinia

Size and Appearance

The Red Fury™ Photinia is an upright, bushy evergreen shrub that grows 8 to 10 feet tall and about 5 feet wide within a few years of planting. It is densely branched and very bushy, making dense hedges with minimal trimming. The leaves are a beautiful glossy dark-green, about 3½ inches long by 2 inches wide. They have finely toothed edges, a leathery texture and an attractive slightly wavy look. All year round this bush gives out a look of freshness and good health. In spring when the new leaves begin to sprout they are incredibly glossy and a remarkable color between rich pink and fiery red. There are other red-leaf photinia, but this one has the darkest and strongest coloring of all, as well as being naturally more compact and bushy. As the leaves expand flowers may appear too, especially on older, untrimmed plants. These are in upright clusters, each small white flower carried on a bright red stem. These are a little like tiny, single white roses, and they have a pleasant fragrance. The leaf color is retained for many weeks, depending on how quickly hot weather arrives. As they mature the leaves gradually darken, turning dark green.

Using the Red Fury™ Photinia in Your Garden

Wherever you need background shrubs, corners of your yard filled, screening or hedging – that is where the Red Fury Photinia is the perfect choice. It is fast-growing but never gets out of hand or takes over, and its tough and reliable. Plant 3 to 4 feet apart for a screen or trimmed hedge, and 5 feet apart for group planting behind smaller shrubs. Grow it in planter boxes too, where it can be kept trimmed to just a few feet tall.

Hardiness

The Red Fury Photinia is completely hardy and evergreen in zones 7 to 9. It will also grow in a sheltered place in zone 6, and any winter damage will be quickly hidden by new spring growth.

Sun Exposure and Soil Conditions

Full sun will give the brightest spring foliage, and the best chance of blooms, but this shrub is incredibly adaptable to partial shade, keeping its spring colors well, and even grows in light full shade, such as beneath deciduous trees. It grows in any soil that is not wet, from acid to alkaline and of all types. A truly tough plant, it is drought resistant within a year or so of planting.

Maintenance and Pruning

Although it will grow 2 feet a year when young, the Red Fury Photinia is always dense and bushy, so trimming is not really needed. You can however make a dense hedge with it easily. Trim hard after the first flush of growth, and more new leaves will follow. Further light trimming is possible, and it will even recover quickly from severe pruning if that is needed. The appearance of any pests or diseases would be very unusual. Avoid spraying with water during very humid weather, as water on the foliage for long periods can cause leaf drop when the weather is very hot.

History and Origin of the Red Fury™ Photinia

The first red-leaf photinia was created back in 1940 by Ollie Fraser, who had a well-established family nursery in Birmingham, Alabama. He collected some seeds from a tree of a bush from China called Photinia serratifolia. Among the seedlings was a unique plant that really stood out, with coppery new leaves. Closer examination by botanists showed that the parent tree had been pollinated by another species nearby. It was the Japanese photinia, Photinia glabra. This hybrid between the two species was named Photinia x fraseri. This plant today is usually grown in the form ‘Red Robin’, a plant raised in New Zealand with much redder leaves. That plant rarely produces seeds, but in 2000 John Robb, who owns The Paradise Seed Company in Kulnura, north of Sydney, Australia, found some seeds on a plant he was growing. Among the seedlings he noticed one outstanding bush with even richer and darker new leaves, and a more compact and bushy form. He patented it in 2008 with the name ‘Parsur’. In America this plant is made available by Greenleaf Nursery Company, under their Garden Debut® brand, with the trademark name of Red Fury™.

Buying the Red Fury™ Photinia at the Tree Center

If you want tough and colorful, you are in the right place, as the Red Fury Photinia is outstanding for low-maintenance trouble-free gardening. Order now, because this is among our most popular plants, for obvious reasons.