Photinia arbutifolia
An evergreen Rosaceae tree in the genus Photinia native from California to Mexico and growing primarily in subtropical biomes, reaching up to 6 metres tall with year-round leaves, August flowers, fruits ripening November–December, insect-pollinated, hardy to UK zone 9, tolerating a range of soils, bearing edible fruits with traditional medicinal uses, and with documented germplasm accessions in the National Plant Germplasm System along with a recognized taxonomic synonym.
Common Names
Christmas Berry
Summary
The Christmas Berry is an evergreen tree native to California to Baja California (Mexico) in a subtropical biome, growing up to about 6 m tall. It occurs in semi-dry brushy slopes and canyons below 1200 m, often near streams or on dry hills, and on north-facing slopes, with steep sea-cliffs noted as well.
Cultivation requires well-drained fertile soil in a sheltered position with sun or light shade, and it tolerates calcareous soils while showing drought- and poor-condition hardiness. It is not very hardy in Britain, tolerating down to about -7°C, and outdoors success is limited to milder areas (south Surrey southwards and westwards). Propagation is by seeds sown in a cold frame as soon as ripe in autumn, with stored seed likely needing cold stratification; seedlings are pricked out into pots and grown in a greenhouse for at least the first winter, then planted out after the last frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe wood taken in mid-summer in a frame are also recommended.
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
19 ft - 19 ft 8 in
Spread
26 ft
Hardiness Zones
Zones 8-11
Sunlight Requirements
Ideally full sun to partial shade, tolerates sun or light shade.
Soil Type
Well-drained fertile soil
Soil Drainage
Well-drained soil.
Soil pH
Mildly acidic to mildly alkaline; tolerates very alkaline soils.
Bloom Time
Summer
Fall Foliage Color
No fall color
Leaf Lifecycle
Evergreen broadleaf
Seasons of Interest
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Propagation Methods
Seed, Cuttings (half-ripe wood; mid-summer in a frame; basal cuttings in a frame), Shoot-rooting method (harvest shoots 10–15 cm, pot up, root in cold frame/greenhouse)
Attracts Wildlife
Attracts insects
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- Lindl.
- Publication
- Trans. Linn. Soc. London 13: 103 (1821)
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Rosales
- Family
- Rosaceae
- Genus
- Photinia
Synonyms
Photinia salicifolia Crataegus serrulata Heteromeles fremontiana Photinia nudiflora Mespilus arbutifolius Heteromeles arbutifolia Heteromeles arbutifolia var. cerina Photinia arbutifolia var. cerina Photinia arbutifolia var. macrocarpa Heteromeles arbutifolia subsp. macrocarpa Pyrus photinia Crataegus arbutifolia Photinia foliolosa Heteromeles salicifolia Heteromeles arbutifolia var. macrocarpa