Planting, planning, and caring for a Chinese photinia hedge: Important and interesting information about hedge planting with Photinia Devil's Dream®

A Chinese photinia hedge is more than just a natural privacy screen. It enriches the garden and patio in many ways, as alongside its fast and dense growth, it brings a fiery display of red leaves that appears anew every year. This creates exciting color schemes that complement and enhance the architecture of your outdoor living space, as well as the impact of the surrounding plantings. All year round, as Photinia Devil's Dream® is evergreen and adorns the outdoor area during the colder months with its lush green winter attire. In addition, you don't have to be a gardening expert to plant such a hedge, as the shrub is very low-maintenance. This can be confirmed by those who have already gained experience with a Chinese photinia hedge. We'll reveal how you can bring the perfect Photinia privacy screen to your home.

How many plants do you need per meter for a Chinese photinia hedge?

In order for Devil's Dream® to quickly develop into a dense Chinese Photinia hedge that provides shade in summer, protects against wind, and ensures privacy throughout the year, two to three plants are needed per running meter. Plant them at a distance of 20 centimeters from each other in compost-enriched soil. This will provide enough space for the plants to spread their roots. However, they are still close enough to grow branch to branch quickly. This will soon form a dense, red-green phalanx.

 

By the way, when referring to a running meter, you always need to consider an extra plant. It starts with the first meter.
This means that for the first meter you will need three to four plants. After that, the recommendation is two to three Chinese Photinias per meter.

Devils Dream hohe Hecke mit roten Blättern

Pay attention to spacing!

Pay attention to spacing! Sidewalk, neighboring property, flower bed: Your Chinese photinia hedge should not display its proportions everywhere. If planted too close to the sidewalk or road, the hedge can obstruct pedestrians and vehicles. As a Photinia Devil's Dream® grows 20 to 40 centimeters per year and each plant can reach a width of up to 120 centimeters, it is possible for branches and leaves to extend beyond the property line. Regular trimming is necessary to maintain the hedge's beauty and health, and it also promotes the red growth of the Chinese photinia. However, if planted too tightly, the standard maintenance and shaping pruning may not suffice. During the protection period between May and September, when hedges cannot be pruned for conservation reasons, the foliage can become an annoyance for pedestrians, cyclists, and others.


Garden owners who have experience with a Chinese photinia hedge know: when planning, a minimum distance of 50 centimeters from the property boundary should always be maintained. If the hedge is to be higher than one meter, it must be at least one meter away. The distance is measured from the trunk that protrudes closest to the boundary from the ground. This also applies if it is only a side shoot. The rest of the plant may grow beyond this line, but for the reasons mentioned above, it must not grow uncontrollably. While these are general guidelines, some federal states have also established their own regulations. Therefore, it is advisable to familiarize oneself with the local regulations before planting.

This also helps maintain good relations with neighbors, as hedges and trees planted too close to the neighbor's boundary are one of the most common causes of disputes.

 

Planting a Chinese photinia hedge: experience shows that the best time is in spring

The ideal time to plant the plants is in spring. Although it is also possible to plant a Chinese photinia hedge in autumn, it should not be too late in the year. Young Chinese photinias do not tolerate frost in the first few weeks of establishment. They need to acclimatize to their new location and establish sufficient roots. Later on, cold and frost are no longer a problem for Photinia Devil's Dream®. It is also important to prevent the plants from drying out during establishment. Therefore, ensure sufficient moisture supply and avoid waterlogging.