This is an archived copy of this article, recovered after a server failure in January 2022.

Some links may be broken, and editing is disabled. We are working to bring back full functionality.

Photinia arbutifolia
  • Christmas Berry

a perennial woody evergreen member of the Photinia genus in the family Rosaceae.

Niche
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    The ecosystem niches for this plant are unknown. Do you know them? Click the edit button to add them!
Functions
  • None
    None
    There are no functions defined for this plant. Do you know of some? Click the edit button to add them!
Light
  • Full sun
    Full sun
    The amount of sun exposure that a plant prefers in ideal conditions.
    Key
  • light shade
    Light shade
    The amount of shade a plant will tolerate without adverse health affects.
    Key
Water
  • Water Requirementsmoderate
    Moderate
    The amount of water a plant needs for healthy growth, relative to other plants.
    Key
Soil
  • acid,neutral,alkaline,very alkaline
    Acid to Very alkaline
    The PH range (acidity or alkilinity) of the growth medium ideal for healthy nutrient absorbtion.
    Key
  • Sandy to Clay
    The soil texture this plant prefers for optimal growth.
    Key
Cold & Heat
  • 9
    Zone 9
    The USDA Hardiness scale assigns plants a number from 1 to 12 representing the minimum temperature a plant can survive.
    Key
    0< -53.9ºC< -65ºF
    1-51.1ºC-60ºF
    2-45.6ºC-50F
    3-40ºC-40ºF
    4-34.4ºC-30ºF
    5-28.9ºC-20ºF
    6-23.3ºC-10ºF
    7-17.8ºC0ºF
    8-12.2C10ºF
    9-6.7ºC20ºF
    10-1.1ºC30ºF
    114.4ºC40ºF
    12> 10ºC> 5ºF
  • ?
    Unknown
    The AHS Heat scale assigns plants a number from 1 to 12 representing the number of days per year a plant requires a temperature exceeding 30ºC (86ºF).
    Key
    11
    21 - 7
    38 - 14
    415 - 30
    531 - 45
    646 - 60
    761 - 90
    891 - 120
    9121 - 150
    10151 - 180
    11181 - 210
    12181 - 210
Photinia arbutifolia has 0 edible uses listed
Photinia arbutifolia has 0 material uses listed
Photinia arbutifolia has 0 medicinal uses listed

Uses

Edible uses

Notes

Fruit - raw or cooked[1][2][3][4][5]. The fruits are 5 - 6mm across[6], they taste like common haws (Crataegus monogyna)[7]. Mealy, astringent and acid[8][9]. Best if a little sugar is added to sweeten them. They can also be dried, ground into a powder and made into a mush or fermented into a cider[4]. A slight cooking removes any bitter taste[10]. Native North American Indians would often place them in a basket close to the fire and keep turning them until they had wilted before eating them[5].

Fruit

Unknown use

Material uses

A golden brown dye is obtained from the leaves and stems[11].

Dark olive-green and black dyes are obtained from the leaves and berries[11]. The fruit-covered branches are gathered in large quantities in California and used as Christmas decorations in much the same way as holly is used in Britain[8].

Wood - very heavy, hard, close-grained[8].

Unknown part

Dye
Wood

Medicinal uses(Warning!)

An infusion of the bark and leaves has been used as a wash for infected wounds[5]. A decoction of the leaves has been used in the treatment of stomach aches, plus various other aches and pains[12][10][5].

Unknown part

Stomachic

Ecology

Ecosystem niche/layer

Ecological Functions

Nothing listed.

Forage

Nothing listed.

Shelter

Nothing listed.

Propagation

Seed - best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe in the autumn. Stored seed will probably require a period of cold stratification and should be sown as early in the year as possible. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.

Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame[13].

Basal cuttings in a frame[14]. Harvest the shoots when they are about 10 - 15cm long with plenty of underground stem. Pot them up into individual pots and keep them in light shade in a cold frame or greenhouse until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the summer.

Practical Plants is currently lacking information on propagation instructions of Photinia arbutifolia. Help us fill in the blanks! Edit this page to add your knowledge.



Cultivation

Requires a well-drained fertile soil in a sheltered position in sun or light shade[14]. Tolerates calcareous soils[14]. Plants are tolerant of drought and poor conditions[6].

This species is not very hardy in Britain[15], tolerating temperatures down to about -7°c[6]. It succeeds outdoors from south Surrey southwards and westwards[16]. There are some named varieties, selected for their ornamental value[4].

The flowers have a scent similar to hawthorns and are pleasant when smelt from a distance, though less than pleasant when smelt close-to[17].

Crops

Problems, pests & diseases

Associations & Interactions

There are no interactions listed for Photinia arbutifolia. Do you know of an interaction that should be listed here? edit this page to add it.

Polycultures & Guilds

There are no polycultures listed which include Photinia arbutifolia.

Descendants

Cultivars

Varieties

None listed.

Subspecies

None listed.

Full Data

This table shows all the data stored for this plant.

Taxonomy
Binomial name
Photinia arbutifolia
Genus
Photinia
Family
Rosaceae
Imported References
Edible uses
[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]
Medicinal uses
[5][12][10]
Material uses & Functions
[11][8]
Botanic
[7][18][14]
Propagation
Cultivation
Environment
Cultivation
Uses
Edible uses
None listed.
Material uses
None listed.
Medicinal uses
None listed.
Functions & Nature
Functions
Provides forage for
Provides shelter for
Environment
Hardiness Zone
9
Heat Zone
?
Water
moderate
Sun
full sun
Shade
light shade
Soil PH
acid, neutral, alkaline, very alkaline
Soil Texture
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil Water Retention
well drained
Environmental Tolerances
  • Drought
Ecosystems
Native Climate Zones
None listed.
Adapted Climate Zones
None listed.
Native Geographical Range
None listed.
Native Environment
None listed.
Ecosystem Niche
None listed.
Root Zone Tendancy
None listed.
Life
Deciduous or Evergreen
evergreen
Herbaceous or Woody
woody
Life Cycle
perennial
Growth Rate
?
Mature Size
6 x 8 meters
Fertility
?
Pollinators
Insects
Flower Colour
?
Flower Type
hermaphrodite











References

  1. ? 1.01.1 Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim (1959-00-00)
  2. ? 2.02.1 Sweet. M. Common Edible and Useful Plants of the West. Naturegraph Co. ISBN 0-911010-54-8 (1962-00-00)
  3. ? 3.03.1 Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing (1976-00-00)
  4. ? 4.04.14.24.3 Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications ISBN 0-9628087-0-9 (1990-00-00)
  5. ? 5.05.15.25.35.45.5 Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. ISBN 0-88192-453-9 (1998-00-00)
  6. ? 6.06.16.26.3 Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Conservatory and Indoor Plants Volumes 1 & 2 Pan Books, London. ISBN 0-330-37376-5 (1998-00-00)
  7. ? 7.07.17.2 Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray (1981-00-00)
  8. ? 8.08.18.28.38.4 Sargent. C. S. Manual of the Trees of N. America. Dover Publications Inc. New York. ISBN 0-486-20278-X (1965-00-00)
  9. ? 9.09.1 Harrington. H. D. Edible Native Plants of the Rocky Mountains. University of New Mexico Press ISBN 0-8623-0343-9 (1967-00-00)
  10. ? 10.010.110.210.3 Balls. E. K. Early Uses of Californian Plants. University of California Press ISBN 0-520-00072-2 (1975-00-00)
  11. ? 11.011.111.2 Grae. I. Nature's Colors - Dyes from Plants. MacMillan Publishing Co. New York. ISBN 0-02-544950-8 (1974-00-00)
  12. ? 12.012.1 Coyle. J. and Roberts. N. C. A Field Guide to the Common and Interesting Plants of Baja California. Natural History Publishing Co. (1975-00-00)
  13. ? Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. ISBN 0-86318-386-7 (1990-00-00)
  14. ? 14.014.114.214.3 Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press ISBN 0-333-47494-5 (1992-00-00)
  15. ? Thomas. G. S. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray ISBN 0-7195-5043-2 (1992-00-00)
  16. ? F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press (1951-00-00)
  17. ? Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. ISBN 0-7090-5440-8 (1994-00-00)
  18. ? Munz. A California Flora. University of California Press (1959-00-00)


Retrieved from "https://practicalplants.org/w/index.php?title=Photinia_arbutifolia&oldid=79256"
Facts about "Photinia arbutifolia"RDF feed
Article is incompleteYes +
Article requires citationsNo +
Article requires cleanupYes +
Belongs to familyRosaceae +
Belongs to genusPhotinia +
Has common nameChristmas Berry +
Has drought toleranceTolerant +
Has edible partFruit +
Has edible useUnknown use +
Has environmental toleranceDrought +
Has fertility typeInsects +
Has flowers of typeHermaphrodite +
Has hardiness zone9 +
Has lifecycle typePerennial +
Has material partUnknown part +
Has material useDye + and Wood +
Has mature height6 +
Has mature width8 +
Has medicinal partUnknown part +
Has medicinal useStomachic +
Has search namephotinia arbutifolia + and x +
Has shade toleranceLight shade +
Has soil ph preferenceAcid +, Neutral +, Alkaline + and Very alkaline +
Has soil teclayture preferenceClay +
Has soil teloamyture preferenceLoamy +
Has soil tesandyture preferenceSandy +
Has soil water retention preferenceWell drained +
Has sun preferenceFull sun +
Has taxonomy namePhotinia arbutifolia +
Has water requirementsmoderate +
Is deciduous or evergreenEvergreen +
Is herbaceous or woodyWoody +
Is taxonomy typeSpecies +
Tolerates nutritionally poor soilNo +
Uses mature size measurement unitMeters +