Photinia × fraseri 'Carré Rouge' 17cm / 2L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
Photinia × fraseri 'Carré Rouge' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
Photinia Carré Rouge

Photinia × fraseri 'Carré Rouge'

£15.99
Hardy in the UKSun-lovingEvergreen
Pot size
17cm / 2L £15.99

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Description

Photinia × fraseri 'Carré Rouge' is a compact form of the familiar 'Red Robin', valued for its tighter, more upright habit, smaller leaves and a more intense red to its new shoots. The biggest difference is scale: the RHS gives 'Carré Rouge' an ultimate height and spread of 1.5 to 2.5m, against 4 to 8m for 'Red Robin', so it suits smaller gardens and neat, lower hedges where 'Red Robin' would soon outgrow its space.

Hardiness and seasons. It is rated H5, hardy in most of the UK through cold winters, and fully evergreen. Glossy young leaves emerge a brilliant red and mature to dark green, with the main show in spring and further flushes of colour after each trim. As with all photinias, the tender new growth can be caught by a late spring frost. Plants left untrimmed produce panicles of small creamy-white flowers in spring.

How and where to grow. Give it full sun or partial shade. The RHS rates it for exposed or sheltered sites and for clay, loam or sand, in soil that is moist but well drained or freely draining, ideally fertile and rich in organic matter. Its naturally bushy, upright shape means less work to keep a hedge tidy, as the branches do not flop outwards the way older 'Red Robin' plants can. Photinia leaf spot can still appear in wet weather, and there is no good evidence that 'Carré Rouge' resists it better than 'Red Robin', so plant with space for air to circulate and water at the base rather than over the leaves.

Using it in the garden. 'Carré Rouge' is ideal for a colourful low to medium evergreen hedge, a boundary screen in a small garden or a neat block of red and green in a border. Its compact habit also makes it a good choice for clipped shapes and for large containers on a patio, where the vivid spring shoots can be enjoyed up close.

Live Arrival Guarantee

All plants are covered by our 7-day live arrival guarantee. We pack every order in protective, sustainable packaging designed to keep your plants safe in transit, and every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something is not right on arrival, we will make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.

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What to Expect

Seasonal by nature: what to expect

  • Grown outdoors, the way nature intended. Weather-tested and hardened in real UK conditions, so they thrive in your garden. A few marks on the older leaves are normal, the sign of a tough, real plant rather than a flaw.
  • It follows the seasons. Depending on when you order, your plant may arrive cut back, dormant or leafless. That's healthy: dormancy is the ideal time to plant.
  • Posted, not posed. Big leafy plants like bananas and gingers may be trimmed or gently folded to travel safely. It does the plant no harm, and it powers away again in spring.

Not sure what to expect from yours? Dormant, cut-back or weather-marked plants are all perfectly healthy and normal. Read what to expect through the seasons

Delivery & returns

Order by 1pm Monday to Friday for same day dispatch. Every plant travels in protective, plant-safe packaging with tracked delivery.

Changed your mind? See our Return Policy.

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How to care for Photinia Carré Rouge

Plant me in full sun and I will stand a UK winter outdoors.

In their words

What our customers say

Arrived just like the photos - maybe even fuller. Healthy, well-acclimated, and straight into my collection with no issues.

Emily P.

Flawless leaves, stunning variegation, and clearly cared for by experts. It’s already a talking point in my home office.

James R.

Hard to find rare plants that are pet-safe. Ours arrived in perfect condition and looks amazing without any worry.

Sophie L.
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About Photinia Carré Rouge

Photinia × fraseri 'Carré Rouge' needs full sun or partial shade and moist but well-drained soil. It is hardy to around −15°C and stands a UK winter outdoors.

Good for

Pots & Containers Screening & Privacy

Hardiness

TenderVery hardy

Hardy Exotic (H5): down to around −15°C. Hardy through a cold UK winter.

H5, hardy in most of the UK. Evergreen. New red shoots can be damaged by late spring frosts. Read moreShow less

H5, hardy in most of the UK. Evergreen. New red shoots can be damaged by late spring frosts.

Position

Full sunPartial shadeNorth-facingEast-facingSouth-facingWest-facingExposedSheltered
Full sun or partial shade; any aspect, exposed or sheltered. Read moreShow less

Full sun or partial shade; any aspect, exposed or sheltered.

Soil

ClayLoamSandMoist but well-drainedWell-drainedAcid pHNeutral pH
Fertile, humus-rich clay, loam or sand that is well drained or moist but well drained; acid to neutral. Read moreShow less

Fertile, humus-rich clay, loam or sand that is well drained or moist but well drained; acid to neutral.

Watering

Water regularly through the first growing season and in dry spells, then only in prolonged drought. Water at the base rather than over the foliage to help prevent leaf spot. Read moreShow less

Water regularly through the first growing season and in dry spells, then only in prolonged drought. Water at the base rather than over the foliage to help prevent leaf spot.

Mature size

Height1.5 to 2.5m
Spread1.5 to 2.5m

Reaches full size in 10 to 20 years

Growth habit

Bushy

Flowering

Spring (on untrimmed plants) · White

Seasonal colour

Foliage

Evergreen

Pruning

Trim hedges two or three times during the growing season to keep the shape tight and bring on repeat flushes of red. If a plant ever needs rejuvenating, it can be cut back hard in spring. Trim less often in wet spells or once leaf spot appears, since fresh young leaves are the most susceptible.

Toxicity

The RHS advises that the fruit are ornamental and not to be eaten by people or pets, and recommends wearing gloves when handling. Photinia is recorded as toxic to horses and other grazing animals, so keep livestock away from the plant and its clippings.

Native range

Garden hybrid of Photinia glabra and Photinia serratifolia, both East Asian species; 'Carré Rouge' is a compact garden selection that arose from 'Red Robin'. Not native to the UK.

Family

Rosaceae

Also known as

Photinia × fraseri 'Carré Rouge'

Genus

Photinia
Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

How is Photinia 'Carré Rouge' different from 'Red Robin'?

'Carré Rouge' is a compact selection that arose from 'Red Robin'. Compared with its parent it is roughly half the size or less (1.5 to 2.5m against 4 to 8m on RHS figures), with a denser, more upright habit, smaller leaves and a more intense red to its new growth. Both have glossy leaves, both are H5 hardy, and there is no good evidence that 'Carré Rouge' is more resistant to leaf spot. 'Red Robin' holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit, while 'Carré Rouge' does not.

How tall does Photinia 'Carré Rouge' grow?

The RHS gives an ultimate height and spread of 1.5 to 2.5m, reached over 10 to 20 years. With regular trimming it is easy to hold as a neat hedge well below that, which is why it is popular for smaller gardens.

When should I prune 'Carré Rouge' for more red growth?

Trim it two or three times during the growing season. Each cut prompts a fresh flush of red shoots and keeps the hedge dense. Trim less often in wet spells or if leaf spot shows, because young leaves are the most vulnerable, and save any hard renovation for spring.

Is 'Carré Rouge' resistant to photinia leaf spot?

Not reliably. Photinia leaf spot, caused by the fungus Entomosporium mespili, affects red-tipped photinias generally, and gardening advisory services list no resistant red-tip variety, 'Carré Rouge' included. Reduce the risk by planting with space for air to move, watering the soil rather than the leaves, clearing fallen spotted leaves and avoiding heavy clipping or feeding in wet spells.

Is 'Carré Rouge' the same plant as 'Mandarino'?

Yes. The RHS lists 'Mandarino' as a synonym of 'Carré Rouge', and several European nurseries sell it under both names. You may also see it written without the accent, as Carre Rouge.

Does my plant come with a pot?
Your plant will arrive in its nursery grow pot — the plastic pot it's been growing in. We don't include a decorative pot as standard, and there's a good reason for that: it means you get to choose one that fits your space and style, rather than being stuck with something that doesn't suit your home.

It also means you're not paying extra for a pot you might not want. The nursery pot is perfectly fine to keep your plant in for a while, just pop it inside a decorative cover pot or cache pot and you're good to go. When you're ready to repot (usually after a growing season or when roots start poking out the bottom), you can move it into something more permanent with fresh soil.

If you're not sure what size cover pot to go for, check the pot selector tool listed above, you'll want a decorative pot that's a centimetre or two wider than that to give it a comfortable fit.
How big will my plant be when it arrives?
Every plant on our site includes the pot size (e.g. 12cm) and, where possible, an approximate height. That's the most reliable way to set your expectations, photos can sometimes make a plant look larger or smaller than it really is.

If you're thinking "that sounds quite small for the price," here's something worth knowing: younger, smaller plants almost always adapt better to your home than larger ones. They adjust faster to your light and humidity, put out new growth more quickly, and tend to establish stronger root systems long-term. A plant that grows into your space will usually outperform one that was already big when it arrived.

That said, every plant is an individual. The one you receive may vary slightly in height, shape, or fullness compared to the photo, that's the nature of living things, not a quality issue. We select healthy, well-established specimens, and if you ever feel your plant doesn't match what you were expecting, just get in touch and we'll take a look.
What makes your plants different from the supermarket or garden centre?
There's a big difference between a plant that's been sitting under on a retail shelf and one that's been looked after and cared for by people who specialise in exactly this.

Our plants are grown in house or sourced from specialist nurseries, many of them varieties you simply won't find at your local garden centre or supermarket. Before anything leaves us, it's checked over by our horticultural team to make sure it's healthy, well-rooted, and ready to thrive in your home. We're not shifting volume off a pallet, we're choosing plants we'd want to keep ourselves.

When you buy from a supermarket, you get a plant and a generic care label. When you buy from us, you get the knowledge that comes with it, detailed care guidance, a team you can actually contact if something isn't going right, and the confidence that what's arriving has been looked after properly from the moment it was grown to the moment it reaches your door.

We're a specialist nursery first, not a retailer that happens to sell plants. That's the difference, and you'll see it the moment you open the box.
What should I do when my plant arrives?
First things first, unbox it as soon as you can. Plants don't love being in dark boxes any more than you would, and the sooner yours is out and breathing, the better.

Remove all the packaging carefully, give the soil a check with your finger, and water lightly if it feels dry. Then find it a spot with appropriate light, but avoid putting it straight into harsh direct sun or next to a radiator. Think of it like arriving somewhere new after a long journey: it needs a moment to adjust.

It's completely normal for your plant to look a little tired or droopy after transit. This is called transit stress, and most plants bounce back within a week or two. You might see a yellow leaf or some drooping, don't panic, and resist the urge to overwater or start repotting straight away.

Our advice for the first couple of weeks: leave it in its nursery pot, water it only when the top layer of soil feels dry, and let it acclimatise to your home's light, temperature, and humidity. Once it's settled in and showing signs of new growth, you can think about repotting or moving it to its permanent spot.

Every plant we sell comes with a care guide on the product page so you'll know exactly what it needs going forward. And if anything doesn't look right, get in touch with our team, we're always happy to help.
Will my plant survive being shipped?
Yes! and we go to serious lengths to make sure of it. Every plant is hand-packed by our team with protective wrapping and secure, custom-designed boxes to keep it stable and safe in transit. We've shipped hundreds of thousands of plants across the UK and our packaging methods have been refined over years to handle the bumps and jolts of delivery.

During colder months, we monitor weather forecasts and offer heat packs where needed to protect against frost. In extreme conditions, we may hold your order for a day or two rather than risk sending it out, we'd rather you wait an extra day than receive a stressed plant.

That said, plants are living things, and the occasional transit wobble can happen. If your plant arrives damaged or isn't in the condition you'd expect, just get in touch within 48 hours with a photo, and we'll make it right, whether that's a replacement or a full refund. No fuss.

The short version: we treat every box like it's going to someone who really cares about what's inside, because it is.
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Packaged with Care

Every order is hand-packed in eco-friendly, protective packaging - refined through thousands of deliveries to ensure your plant arrives healthy, hydrated, and looking its best.

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Perfect for Gifting

From rare collector’s pieces to easy-care favourites, our plants arrive fully potted and ready to enjoy. Add a personalised note at checkout for a thoughtful finishing touch.

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Sustainability at Heart

All plants are ethically sourced from trusted growers, never wild-collected. Every order ships carbon-neutral in minimal-waste packaging.

Good for your home - and the planet.

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Photinia × fraseri 'Carré Rouge'
£15.99