Photinia serratifolia 'REV100' CRUNCHY® Chinese photinia

Chinese photinia is a species which is less common in trade and almost nonexistent in European nurseries. Reason being that all European encyclopedias rate it much less winter hardy than David’s or Fraser’s photinia which are very popular evergreen shrubs used for hedges in zones 6 and higher all over temperate regions. However, in the USA this species has been successfully cultivated for a few decades now, and has proved reliably hardy to zone 6 which allows using it in the same areas as the other well-known hybrids and species. Currently, there are new varieties being bred in Europe with attractive foliage and slower growth hence smaller habit making them hardier than fast growing shrubs with tender wood.

CRUNCHY® is a French introduction of Chinese photinia invented by Jean-Pierre Faure. Its evergreen leaves are large – 15-20 cm long, oval, leathery, glossy, and heavily undulated and serrated or toothed at margins. They emerge rich chocolate brown to burgundy brown in mid spring, maturing to rich green in early summer. New leaves are produced once or even twice again until autumn, this time with only pale bronze red colour, and the same shade will dress up the whole plant in various depths for winter and early spring until the arrival of warm days when they turn green again while new foliage comes out. In mid spring older plants produce medium-sized panicles of creamy white flowers.

CRUNCHY® photinia grows slowly making strong branches into a well-behaved, upright habit (unlike fast growing Fraser’s photinias). Here in zones 6 we find it a place sheltered from strong, drying winds in winter. It reaches about 2m tall and 1m or a little more wide. Pruning can be done from early spring until midsummer. It needs moist but well-drained, humus-rich soil and mulching. Provide extra watering in hot summers and also in frost-free periods in the winter if the ground is not frozen. Hardy to about -23°C.

Last update 09-09-2017