Pleached Photinia Red Robin Trees

Privacy where you actually need it

Most overlooking happens above an existing fence or wall. A pleached tree puts its leaves exactly there, from about 1.8m to 3m above the ground, while the clear stems leave the ground below free for a border, a path or a narrow bed. That makes pleached trees ideal for small gardens where a full-width hedge would take too much space. Read more in our guide to pleached trees for small gardens.

Colour through the year

Photinia Red Robin is evergreen, with glossy dark green leaves and bright red new shoots in spring. Each trim brings a fresh flush of red, so a regularly trimmed screen stays colourful for much of the growing season.

Which pleached tree?

Compare pleached Cherry Laurel and pleached Hornbeam.

Sun, shelter and soil

Photinia Red Robin colours best in full sun or light shade and prefers a reasonably sheltered spot, because cold, drying winds and late frosts can scorch the soft red shoots. Plant in well-drained soil. It dislikes ground that stays wet in winter.

Along fences, walls and patios

Pleached trees are usually planted just in front of a boundary fence or wall, close enough to screen but with room for the head to be trimmed on both sides. Allow at least 60cm from the fence to the trunk so you can reach the back of the head.

Leaf spot

The most common Photinia problem is leaf spot, which shows as red and purple spots on the leaves, mostly in wet years. Good air flow and clearing fallen leaves help. Our Photinia problems, pests and diseases guide explains how to deal with it.

Planting

Dig a generous planting pit for each tree, plant at the same depth as in the pot and fit a sturdy stake and tie straight away, because the head catches the wind. Water thoroughly after planting and keep watering through the first spring and summer. Large pot-grown trees can dry out quickly while they establish.

Growth

Photinia Red Robin typically grows around 20–40cm a year once established, so the heads fill out and knit together over a couple of seasons.

Trimming

Trim the head once or twice a year, in late spring after the first red flush and again in late summer, to keep a flat, crisp panel and encourage more red growth. Tie new side shoots in to fill gaps, and rub off any shoots that appear on the clear stem. Our Photinia Red Robin care guide covers watering and feeding.

Pleached, hedge or standard?

For screening from ground level, choose our Photinia Red Robin hedge plants. For a single feature tree with a rounded head, see the Photinia Red Robin tree.