Have you ever wondered if the Photinia Red robin has invasive roots? Are you worried about it destroying your patios, drives, or other plants?
There’s no need to worry here. I have everything covered to put your mind at ease. This is what I am going to cover for you:
- Understanding invasive roots
- key factors and behavior
- The depth they grow
- Where they can be planted
- Potential structural damages
- The signs of invasive roots
After I have covered these topics, you will know exactly how to deal with potential invasive roots. Your mind will be satisfied and you will be able to grow your photinias without any self-doubt.
So let’s grab a cuppa and dive into the overall understanding of invasive roots.
Quick Summary – Does Photinia ‘Red Robin’ Have Invasive Roots?
The Photinia Red Robin doesn’t have invasive roots. They are shallow spreading roots, staying within the top 12-18 inches of soil, and rarely exceeding 2-3 feet in depth. This means they:
- Pose a minimal risk to foundations, pipes, and other structures.
- Require consistent moisture in the upper soil layer.
- Benefit from well-drained soil to prevent root rot.
Planting tips:
- Dig a planting hole twice as wide and deep as the root ball.
- Avoid planting near deep-rooted plants that might compete for resources.
- Be mindful when digging around the plant to avoid root damage.
- Propagation can be done with cuttings.
Overall, Photinia Red Robin is a good choice for most landscapes due to its non-invasive root system.
The Overall Understanding of “invasive” roots
Invasive roots can be quite problematic when it comes to your gardens and structural foundations. The issue with these roots is they can grow quite aggressively as well as extremely fast. Typically reaching around several feet from the base of your plant. The reason for this is they need to find and source nutrition and a water supply. So what they do is spread to get their requirements.
Eventually what happens is the roots become so large, strong, and woody that they push through causing foundation issues like structural issues and stability of your property. Cracked concrete, lifted patios, and driveways could become extremely frustrating for you because of how they affect your appearance. They can even cause issues with plumbing systems. Even other plants in your garden might be affected and killed by the invasive roots.
Here’s what you can do to prevent invasive roots:
- Identify the trouble causer plant – figuring out what plant is causing the issues will give you a better understanding of how to deal with the invasive roots, and what steps to take.
- Create a root barrier – a root barrier is something you can install yourself in the ground and around the plant. This will only prevent the roots from spreading.
- Use herbicides – Herbicides are used to kill invasive roots, but with this, you do need to proceed with caution. This procedure can damage your nearby plants and their roots.
- Remove the plant – If nothing else has worked then removing the plant would be the only other option. It can become harder to achieve with the older plants. For the best outcome, you need to make sure you take out the majority of the roots to stop any re-growth.
Overall having invasive roots that can’t be controlled can become very costly to you and your house surroundings. So getting good control on these will not only keep your garden appearance clean and tidy but it will also save you money in the long term.
There are many benefits to having a non-invasive root system for the photinia red robin. These are as follows:
- Little to no damage to the structures
- Easier to maintain
- Suitable for smaller spaces
- Adaptability
The benefits of having the photinia as a shrub or tree in your garden will outweigh any disadvantages you may face like their fungal diseases and pests.
Its vibrant crimson leaves and creamy bouquet are something that will add style to your garden with the touch of colour and fullness of the evergreen. You can witness the shrub all year around and watch its transformations happen.
Red tip Photinia root system ‘Is it invasive’?
Photinia red robin roots are outward-growing roots which make them nowhere near as invasive in comparison to other types of shrubs and trees. They stay shallow in the soil which means it’s near impossible for them to be problematic.
Their roots are thin and can cause problems if planted on top of drainage lines.
With this in mind, you still have to carefully decide where you plant your photinia to eliminate any costly damage that may accrue with underground drainage lines.
The photinia has a shallow spreading root system which has its benefits within the shrub and tree category. Usually, a shrub or tree does have trouble causing deep taproots that cause major issues within your gardens and structures.
In this case, the photinia hasn’t and its roots spread outwards rather than going deeper. They are shallow and fibrous which means they don’t dig deep for nutrition. Their roots are made up of lots of thin roots sprouting out from each other.
This being said if you want to plant it near a water drainage system then this could cause issues. The roots would dig for the water if dry and wrap themselves around any pipes in the way.
Overall the shallow and spread of a photinia isn’t usually cause for concern. You shouldn’t need to worry about invasive roots with the photinia red robin.
Due to the shallow and spread nature of the photinias root system, they don’t tend to go deep for their water supply or nutrients.
What they usually do is stay in the shallow parts of the soil and grab what they need from here. They heavily rely on constant moisture and nutrition in the upper layer of their soil.
Keeping them in well-drained areas not only eliminates the chances of root rot, but also is a great benefit for the root system. Keeping them well hydrated will keep the roots shallow as they won’t need to go deep for water. Making them one of the shrubs that’s well suited for the moist drained soil.
The red robin is susceptible to drought, which could lead your shrub to become under stress if this does accrue.
A good check of the soil is needed to make sure that the moisture is still available for the roots to receive. Excessive watering could lead to waterlogged situations, which would cause your photinia to be prone to root rot. So regular watering in dry periods keeps the soil moist as it’s crucial for your photinia’s health.
The first few years after planting your photinia make sure there’s enough water to become well-established with their new environment.
Laying mulch down will keep the soil moisture for longer. This is something you can take into consideration within your gardens.
As I have previously mentioned root rot is one of the fungal diseases the photinia is prone to if planted in the incorrect location.
Root rot caused by a waterlogged environment. This can’t be helped as the weather is sometimes unkind to our gardens.
Ensuring your photinia planted in the proper drainage areas by examining the area. This help with any rainfall while keeping your photinia fit and healthy ready to thrive in the spring-summer months.
When it comes down to planting a new photinia you need to make sure you dig a big enough hole for its root system.
Making a space that is twice as wide and deep as its root ball. This gives the roots enough space to be spread for nutrition and become well established with its new environment.
Ideally I would recommend taking a look at the root ball before planting just to get a good understanding of how big you need to dig the hole.
With the photinias roots being thin this can lead to root damage. With this being said you need to take extra care when digging around your photinia. If you want to plant new shrubs around your red robin just take care when doing this.
Take into consideration that damage to the roots can cause set blacked for the plant. Also, make sure you don’t plant deep-rooted plants nearby as these can invade the space which will lead to your photinia not being able to get the right balance of water and nutrients.
The deep-rooted plant could also wrap itself around the red robin causing root strain which will lead to poor health with the red robin.
How Much Space Do Photinia ”Red Robin’ roots need?
With the photinia red tip, the spacing for the roots depends on the variety and age. So let’s take a deeper look into it:
Spread.
The red tip roots spread as wide as their canopy. So what red robin you have depends on how wide their roots will spread.
The photinia x fraseri red robin can grow to an incredible size of around 6-10 feet in height and width which means their roots will also follow and spread the same.
On the other hand The photinia x fraseri little red robin is the little sister to the red robin. These grow to around 3-4 feet in height and width so their roots will also spread the same, because this plant doesn’t grow as big the roots don’t spread as far as the red robin.
Depth.
Most of the roots for a red robin do indeed stay in the top lyre of the soil around 30-45cm deep.
On the other hand, if your photinia have well-draining soil their roots can grow as deep as 60-75cm.
This is because the roots will search for water and nutrition if the top layer of soil becomes dry.
Space.
It’s required to plant your red robins at least 2-3 feet apart to give them space to establish their environment.
If you want to form a hedge spacing with your photinia then planting them closer will get them to grow together giving you a hedge for privacy.
When you’re planting make sure you rub the roots lightly to stimulate them. This will help your photinias roots grab onto the new soil giving them that helping hand to thrive.
About the Photinia’s roots and how they grow.
The Photinia Red Robin is one of the go-to shrubs, hedges, or trees when it comes to invasive roots.
With their unique style and their non-invasive roots, people love to take advantage of this and plant them in their gardens.
They can be used as screenings or as a centerpiece in your garden with no concerns over their root system becoming a problem.
The depth of photinia roots not considered to be deep or grow deep. The reason for this is that it is a shallow root plant, with this being said keeping the photinia well hydrated in its moist soil conditions prevents any roots from trying to grow deep to find its water source.
The roots typically lay on the top layer of the soil around 12-18 inch depth. This makes them vulnerable to dry spells in summer so taking care with a watering schedule and mulching around the base will help the photinia out in the summer months.
The root system is dense and fibrous which does help in its establishing phase. What this means is that it will attach itself to the new soil environments very quickly.
This is an advantage to the plant as it creates the strength for it to survive any windy spells that we do have and it stops it from blowing over and snapping at the trunk.
The red robin’s roots are indeed classed as a shallow root system with its spread going outwards rather than going deep into the soil. They can grow deep in conditions where they need to find their nutritional and watering needs but if kept on top of with the correct care their roots will stay shallow. Meaning they will be at no threat to any garden shrubs plants or buildings.
In regards to how fast the photinia’s roots grow, it’s quite hard to pinpoint. There are several factors you can browse and take a look at:
- Age – The older the plant the slower its roots grow compared to a newly planted photinia. I usually use a stake and place it in the compost with my new photinia just to keep the plant upright and let their roots uptake to their new environment.
- Pests and fungus –Create issues for your photinia which will result in your roots growing slower. Insects and fungus are easy to get rid of with the basics of home remedies or shop-bought treatments. So if you notice them, treat them as soon as you can. Usually, done with a quick trim or a prune. Trimming away the affected leaves will allow your photinia to bloom.
- Soil – Well drained nutritious loose soil enhances your roots to grow faster than if they were planted in compact clay soils. As the roots find it easier to get about and sprout new roots. Giving your red robin fertliser will also help with the nutrition and vigor of the plant.
- Watering – Regular watering of the planting pit and keeping the soil moist encourages root growth. If the soil is dry then the roots find it hard to grow.
- Season – Season matter as the typical peak times for roots to grow would be around spring and summer time. The photinia doesn’t like the frost and roots don’t adapt to the soil in these conditions so it’s best to wait until the weather warms up around spring to start your planting process.
With all this being said it is still hard to provide an accurate time frame for root growth. But you will get visible signs that your roots are growing within a few months.
As long as you keep on top of its pruning watering and nutrients then there is no need to worry about the roots as they will be growing at the correct rate ready to give you that beautiful red robin look.
Where is the best place to plant a red robin for its root system?
When choosing the best location to plant your new red robin you need to consider a few things.
This is to benefit the health and growth of your photinia in years to come, so you can enjoy its cycle and eye-catching characteristics.
We always have to make sure that the photinia is in well-drained, draining soil to prevent any stress to its root system. Too much water will cause your photinia to contract root rot but too little water will cause your photinia to lack its requirements which will result in you not seeing the burst of red leaves and flowers.
This can also make your red robin look thin and struggle with looking big and bushy. Making sure that you also have a good amount of depth to where you are planting will give your photinia enough space to expand its roots to grow stronger, which will help it in the windy weather if you can’t place it in a sheltered area.
The photinia red robin loves full sun or partial shade whichever one you decide on it will thrive in both. Just take into consideration that if you were to plant in a fully shaded area the evergreen won’t be able to show off its red shoots as they will grow green.
So it needs sunlight to enhance its colours. I made the mistake of planting my photinia in a shaded area as I thought that would be best for the shrub. It turned out it wasn’t and I had a lot to learn about its needs and what’s required to see it thrive into its full beauty.
Ideally, when you are trying to figure out a place to plant your shrub you want it to be in an area that is protected from wind.
I know sometimes this isn’t something that we can accommodate. In this case, you can always secure your shrub with stakes to give it that extra support when the windy seasons come upon you.
Size does play an important role when you’re planting a photinia. They grow extremely big over time. So planting in an open area for privacy is something I would think about doing.
This is just so that once the shrub or tree has reached full maturity and size you won’t have to consider removing it from your gardens or moving to another location.
What can I plant under a red robin?
I know having a red robin is amazing. They are beautiful to look at and watch transform but sometimes you do feel like something is missing within the space at the bottom.
With the photinia flowers not exactly being the nicest flower to smell with it being referred to as smelling like human semen, I like to add something to make the plant smell nicer like lavender. I also like the Brunnera as their heart-shaped leaves give your photinia a new look.
You can pick from a few plants to plant alongside your red robin and their colours work extremely well together
Lavender
Sedum
Brunnera
Lamium
You just need to take into consideration when choosing a plant to go alongside your rep tip shrub tree or hedge.
Make sure they like the same environment:
Soil
Sun
Water
Nutrition
Overall if you look into the plant’s needs and make sure they enjoy the same environment as your photinia you can create the most beautiful contrast of colours that will give your photinia that extra wow factor.
Can you plant red robin close to the house?
Red robins are one of the best shrubs to create privacy for your home, so can we plant them close to create that perfect screening for a smaller front garden.
This depends on several factors surrounding the photinia.
Although its roots aren’t classed as being invasive typically you want to plant the hedge at a minimum distance of 3-5 feet from your house to avoid any potential issues.
You have to be sure to plant in the correct place to avoid drainage issues which will create root rot and make sure the soil type is the correct HP for the rep tip to thrive in its environment when it’s fully established.
When the photinia is mature and at its full-grown size it can be extremely big. What I would do for this is take a look around and see where would be best suited for their mature photinia.
If I have an area in my garden that looks rather thin with shrubs or flowers then this is where I would choose to plant the photinia. This will then give my garden a fuller look and with it being an evergreen hedge I will always have that fullness throughout the year.
There are indeed a range of different red robins that you can look into and consider for where you want to plant. If you are just wanting a smaller space in your garden to look fuller with the photinia then you can get a miniature like the little red robin.
These are the same as the Red Robin but just on a smaller scale. These can also be planted in pots and be moved around your garden if you want to change the way your garden looks.
Overall I believe prevention is key to making the the right choices. I always take the time to look into the area I want to plant even more so with a hedge, shrub, or tree.
These are going to be alive for around 50 years so ideally you want to place it in the right place from the start. This just minimizes any issues you may face in the future. Taking an hour out of your day to decide makes the world of difference saves you time in the long term and also minimizes the chance of costly damages. Which is great then we can go buy more flowers to plant right?
