christmas berry
Photinia arbutifolia
USDA zones9 to 11
SunHandles full sun to full shade
WaterHandles dry to moderate soil
Size6 to 8 feet tall4 to 5 feet wide
- Habit
- Shrub , tree
- Bloom season
- Spring, summer, autumn, winter
- Bloom color
- White
- Soil types
- Sand, loam, clay
- Soil pH
- Acid, alkaline, neutral
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
Christmas berry (Photinia arbutifolia) is a shrub for low maintenance gardens, hedges, and xeriscape. It grows outdoors year-round in USDA zone 9 and warmer, down to about 20°F (-7°C). In colder areas, grow it as a houseplant or bring it indoors for winter. This plant likes full sun to full shade and dry to average, sandy, loamy, or clay soil. White flowers appear in large clusters, followed by bright-red berries that birds eat. It sits low on the menu for deer. Watch for fire blight and black mildew near the coast.
Pairs well with California brittlebush, Blue-eyed grass, and New Jersey tea.
Native range
CA and HI.