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Chinese Photinia

Photinia davidiana (foh-TIN-nee-uh duh-vid-ee-A-nuh)

Family: Rosaceae Non-native Understory (15-40 ft)

Chinese Photina is an ornamental shrub from Asia in the rose family. It is typically found along slopes, in thickets or along riverbanks. At maturity, it reaches 15 feet high and 10 feet wide. The leaves are evergreen and clusters of small white flowers are produced May-June. Flowers are followed by pomes that mature to red in late summer and persist into winter providing interest in a winter landscape. This shrub prefers well-drained, moist, fertile soils in full sun to partial shade. Use in the back or middle of a shrub border, as a hedge or screen. To propagate this plant use semi-hard stem cuttings in the summer. Chinese Photina can be used as a hedge or specimen or in a winter garden. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Leaf spot can be a problem, especially in hot humid summers. Also susceptible to fireblight and powdery mildew. Insects that can be problematic are aphids and scale.

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 51 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 2 - Understory (15-40 ft) Optimal soil pH Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Often confused with Cotoneaster salicifolius
Fills a similar niche Camellia Winter Group Hibiscus hamabo Ilex 'Nellie R. Stevens'

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Shrub
Life cycle
Perennial
USDA zones
6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
6-feet-12 feet; 12-24 feet
Mature size
Height: 10 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in. | Width: 8 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
2 - Understory (15-40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect; Spreading
Foliage
Broadleaf Evergreen
Leaf color
Green; Pink; Purple/Lavender
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Oblanceolate; Oblong
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Glossy
Leaf value
Long-lasting
Leaf size
1-3 inches long
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
2-3 inch long lustrous dark green leaves. Margins entire petiole dark green and grooved. New leaves have purplish-pink tones. Red fall color.
Fall color
Red/Burgundy
Flower color
White
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Corymb
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
1/3 inch white flowers with five petals in small clusters 3"-4" wide from May-June.
Bloom time
Summer
Fruit color
Red/Burgundy
Fruit type
Pome
Fruit size
< 1 inch long
Fruit detail
1/2" red fruit that persists into winter
Stem detail
Claw-like stipules where the petiole meets the stem
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
China, Vietnam, Malyasia
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall; Summer; Winter
Fruit type
Pome
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Riparian; Rock Wall; Slope/Bank
Landscape theme
Winter Garden
Design feature
Border; Hedge; Screen/Privacy; Specimen
Garden tags
#stream banks #border back #evergreen shrub #showy fruits #border planting #low maintenance #flowers mid-summer #red fruits #white flowers #glossy leaves #winter interest #border middle #fall color red #showy flowers #rich soils #hedge #hortcontest #screen #thicket
Problems & Resistance
Propagation
Stem Cutting

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.