Shrubs to Replace Red Tips (Photinia)

COMMON NAME	BOTANICAL NAME	GROWTH RATE	HEIGHT	SPREAD	LANDSCAPE REMARKS
Thorny Elaeagnus	Elaeagnus pungens	Rapid	8-12 feet	6-10 feet	Fragrant flowers. Pendulating branches.
Camellia	Camellia japonica	Rapid	8-15 feet	6-7 feet	Blooms in early spring.
Sasanqua	Camellia sasanqua	Rapid	8-15 feet	5-7 feet	Blooms in fall. Good small tree form.
Cleyera (Ternstroemia)	Cleyera japonica	Moderate	8-12 feet	6-7 feet	Excellent for coastal areas of NC.
Spreading Euonymus	Euonymus kiautschovicus	Rapid	5-8 feet	4-8 feet	Can be used as specimen plant.
Pearl Bush	Exochorda racemosa	Moderate	10-15 feet	10-15 feet	Good for borders.
Chinese Holly	Ilex cornuta	Moderate	10-15 feet	8-10 feet*	Can become very large.
Lusterleaf Holly	Ilex latifolia	Moderate	10-12 feet	7-11 feet*	Excellent evergreen.
Japanese Privet	Ligustrum japonicum	Rapid	10-15 feet	6-8 feet	Large evergreen. Not a foundation plant.
Tall-Glossy Privet	Ligustrum lucidum	Rapid	10-15 feet	5-8 feet	Excellent screening plant. Likes adverse conditions.
Wax Myrtle	Myrica cerifera	Moderate	10-15 feet	10-12 feet*	Aromatic foliage.
Anisetree	Illicium anisatum	Moderate	8-12 feet	8-10 feet	Fragrant light green foliage. Attractive.
Oleander	Nerium oleander	Rapid	8- 10 feet	8-9 feet	Summer flowering. All plant parts are very toxic.
Holly Osmanthus	Osmanthus heterophyllus	Moderate	10-12 feet	8-10 feet*	Fall flowering. Very fragrant.
Linden Viburnum	Viburnum dilatatum	Moderate	9-10 feet	6-8 feet	Nice flowers. Showy berries.
Leatherleaf Viburnum	Viburnum rhytidophyllum	Moderate	10-15 feet	12-15 feet*	Excellent foliage character.
Chinese Juniper (Hetzi Juniper)	Juniperus chinensis	Rapid	10-12 feet	10-12 feet*	Useful as specimen or hedge.
Laurestinus Viburnum	Viburnum tinus	Moderate	10-12 feet	10-12 feet*	Valuable clipped or unclipped hedge.
True Myrtle	Myrtus cummunis	Moderate	5-10 feet	4-7 feet	Excellent for sheared or clipped hedges.
Pittosporum	Pittosporum tobira	Moderate- rapid	8-10 feet	6-9 feet	Excellent for natural or clipped hedges.
Sandankwa Viburnum	Viburnum suspensum	Moderate	4-6 feet	4-6 feet	Excellent specimen or accent shrub.

*Because of spread may not be good choice for screening.

This list of shrubs was assembled using the following references:
"Manual of Woody Landscape Plants" by Michael A. Dirr, c1975 revised 1990.
"Dirr's Hardy Trees and Shrubs" by Michael A. Dirr, c1997.
"Landscape Plants of the Southeast" by R. Gordon Halfacre and Anne R. Shawcroft, c1989

The plants selected are those which will do best in the coastal plain and southern Sandhills of North Carolina. If you live in some other area we recommend that you consult your local cooperative extension service or the referenced publications for an appropriate shrub.

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