Plant ID, please?!
By Sid
Hereford,
United Kingdom 
Can anyone tell me what this plant is? I bought it today off a clearance table at the garden centre. I asked 2 separate staff if they knew what is was and they both thought Photinia f. 'Red Robin', but I'm a bit sceptical. The leaves are alternate, slightly variegated and are quite leathery, like a Rhodo, but more oval in shape. There are a couple of dead leaves, which have turned bright red, so I'm hopeful that it will give good autumn colour. There is a closeup pic of the leaves in my pictures. It's a bit sparse in habit tho.....any ideas?
1 Apr, 2008
Answers
I can see why it was put in the clearance section. If it's any consolation I get loads of stuff from clearance, I am known as the plant doctor!! Are you planning on putting it in the garden?
I would prune it, just above a leaf node, then pop it in your garden, give it some good organic matter and some bonemeal and water it in, I'm sure it will recover.
I am sure it is a Photinia Red Robin, the new growth is bright red then it turns dark green and it is an evergreen. It can grow quite tall and wide so give it plenty of room. I'll post a picture of one I have in my garden later so you can see what it looks like. Just to let you know the new red growth can get frost burn.
2 Apr, 2008
Photinia Red Robin or P.davidiana. The latter has leaves that turn red & some that remain green. Red Robin has bright red young stems & leaves older leaves are green. apparently they like alkaline soils, well drained in sun or light shade.Semi-evergreen with crimson berries in the Autumn.
2 Apr, 2008
Yes, I think that it is a poor little Photinia 'Red Robin', in need of TLC! It gets red shoots in the spring - so sorry. Sid, it isn't for autumn colour.
1 Apr, 2008