Red-Tipped Photinias are for the Birds

Red-Tipped Photinia (Photinia x fraseri) as a tree.

Red-tipped Photinias (Photinia x fraseri) are in bloom in the Willamette Valley. While I think of them as useful evergreen hedging plants, in my neighborhood they are small trees. I assume they were planted as accent shrubs or hedges and then the owners allowed them (by choice or default) to grow as trees. Their small white flowers are insignificant but prolific and appear pink against the plant's new red foliage. The flowers emit a light, sweet fragrance in the evening and are vistied by bees, butterlies, and hummingbirds. The foliage ages to green over time.

They serve as a popular refuge for songbird. I'm guessing that the dense evergreen layer of outer foliage provides cover and protection while the relatively sparse interior foliage provides plenty of space to gather.

The two Red-tipped Photinias in my neighbor's back yard are alive with bird song throughout the year. (I think I keep my trees pruned a bit too open for the birds' liking). From my back patio, I watch them flit out from the Red-tipped Photinias and follow the 70-foot fence line to reach my bird feeder and small water feature. As the Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) continues to grow up my fence, the birds are starting to use it for cover rather than risk an uninterrupted flight straight to the bird feeder.

If you are looking for a small tree, decidious or evergreen, there are better choices. But if you are looking for an a broadleaf evergreen hedge, Red-tipped Photinia are an excellent choice. They can tolerate sun or partial shade and a reasonable amount of summer dry once established. Their foliage can be sparse in too much shade.