Oval-leaved privet vs Photinia 'Red Robin'

Oval-leaved privet and Photinia 'Red Robin' are often considered for the same spot in the garden (hedge, screening, pollinator friendly). The data below shows where they differ: size, hardiness, care, toxicity and price.

Oval-leaved privet

Ligustrum ovalifolium 3 m × 2 m after 10 years

An undemanding hedging shrub with glossy dark green leaves that thickens up quickly, grows in almost any soil and copes well with city air. It keeps…

Hedge

Full sun

Part shade

Shade

from about CZK 59

Photinia 'Red Robin'

Photinia × fraseri 'Red Robin' 3 m × 2 m after 10 years

Glossy evergreen leaves and bright red new shoots make this a colourful hedge or a striking standalone shrub. Give it sun or partial shade, shelter…

Hedge

Full sun

Part shade

from about CZK 120

Key differences

Oval-leaved privet is semi-evergreen, Photinia 'Red Robin' is evergreen.
Oval-leaved privet is hardier: down to -23 °C, against -18 °C for Photinia 'Red Robin'.
Oval-leaved privet also grows in shade, Photinia 'Red Robin' does not.
Oval-leaved privet has pollen that can cause allergies, Photinia 'Red Robin' does not (an estimate: sources differ).

Which one to choose?

Oval-leaved privet is the better choice if the garden is cold or a frost pocket or the spot is shady.

Photinia 'Red Robin' is the better choice if it must screen in winter too or someone in the family has a pollen allergy.

Watch out for

Oval-leaved privet

In the colder winters of Central Europe you cannot count on year-round screening: it drops its leaves in hard frost and shoots of young, not yet established plants may die back, although it resprouts in spring. Yellow variegated forms can be scorched after their first winters. It is notably susceptible to honey fungus, and powdery mildew, leaf spots and aphids occur. It does not tolerate waterlogging. In favourable spots it can seed itself around.

Photinia 'Red Robin'

In Central Europe, severe frost, winter drying and late frosts can damage foliage and young shoots; it is not a reliable choice where winter minima reach -20 to -25 °C. Entomosporium leaf spot can cause substantial defoliation in humid, poorly ventilated planting. Waterlogging can damage roots, and strongly calcareous soil may cause nutrient-deficiency yellowing.

The data side by side

Feature	Oval-leaved privet	Photinia 'Red Robin'
Group	Hedge	Hedge
Size after 10 years	3 m × 2 m (uncertain)	3 m × 2 m
Ultimate size	3–5 m × 2–4.5 m	3–5 m × 3–5 m (uncertain)
Growth rate	Fast	Fast
Light	Full sun, Part shade, Shade	Full sun, Part shade
Soil	Average garden soil, Clay, Sandy, Calcareous	Average garden soil, Clay, Sandy, Calcareous, Acidic
Hardiness	down to -23 °C (USDA 6, RHS H7)	down to -18 °C (USDA 6, RHS H6)
Heat tolerance	Medium (uncertain)	no data
Foliage	Semi-evergreen	Evergreen
Flowering	June–July, white	May–June, white
Water need	Medium	Medium
Drought tolerance	Medium	Medium
Maintenance	Medium	Medium
Planted as a hedge	4 plants per running metre	2.5 plants per running metre
For dogs	Toxic	Mildly toxic (uncertain)
For cats	Toxic	Mildly toxic (uncertain)
For children	Toxic (uncertain)	Mildly toxic (uncertain)
Typical price	about CZK 59 (40–60 cm)	about CZK 120 (< 40 cm)

Prices are rounded, indicative values. Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor. Data updated: October 26, 2026

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