Hi Patty, You can cut back red tip photinia any time in the spring or summer months if the photinias are healthy and are not showing any signs of disease prior to being pruned. They should bounce right back from the pruning. However, I think you need to consider whether the red tip photinias are the right shrub in the right place for you. Most red tip photinias easily reach a mature height of 10' to 12' tall and some will get to 15' tall if they are growing in ideal conditions. If they are 6' tall now and you want to prune them back to 3', you should know that they will regrow very quickly and will be back to 6' in just a few months. If it is your intention to permanently maintain the red tip photinias at 3' to 6', you will have to prune them a couple of times a year and perhaps more often. Pruning plants this often will eventually give you shrubs with huge stubby branches that won't look all that great as time goes on. So, if you are really wanting a shrub that you can keep at 3' to 6' with little maintenance, why not remove the redtip photinias and replace them with a plant whose mature height is more in line with what you want? We planted red tip photinias at our previous house in 1984 or 1985. They are now in the 15' to 18' height range and it would be impossible to prune them to 3' or even 6' and keep them looking good. Just my 2 cents worth. Dawn

Photinias were planted extensively in my part of Virginia Beach, which was built about 20 tears ago, mostly, as the gardener in Atlanta described, as hedges. Many homeowners in the subdivision I live in used them as natural fences, surrounding their entire property. They were also planted on the city right of way as barrier between the main road and all the homes that back up to it. They started to develop a fungus about 7 years ago, for which there is really no practical cure. My neighbors have spent thousands of dollars removing the dead/diseased plants . Most of the plants that were planted as the barrier are dead also, but removing a couple hundred 30 foot shrubs and replanting is a huge cost problem. After 2 years of negotiating the civic association was able to contract with the sheriff's office for jail work crews to cut the shrubs to the ground. Now we are left with the stumps to be dug out and some kind of replanting to be done; Probably $15,000 or more. Since only about 10 % of the homes back up to the main road; most homeowners are not willing to contribute. I'm not sure what will happen next. Probably the most frequently asked question in the local gardening column is "What do I do with my diseased photinias?" Answer is tear them out and replant. (evergreen laurels and viburnums often suggested] I know they no longer sell Photinias in my local garden center.

Not a lot of evergreen shrub candidates native to the northern blackland prairie ecoregion - though we're good if wanting grasses, flowers, or riparian trees. Semi-evergreen autumn sage is native, but tops out around only 3 ft. So, any taller "native" alternatives to nandina or photinia would have to be borrowed from the more acidic regions to our east (wax myrtle, Virginia sweetspire,..) or those more alkaline to our west (agerita, yaupon holly,..). Agree wax myrtle seems about the best match of the near-by natives. But here are a few others that may be worth considering: 'Henry's garnet' Virgina sweetspire (Itea virginica) has a seasonally good color match to nandina, can be semi-evergreen around Dallas, and reaches a height of about 6 ft. Though the cold weather and wind this year eventually knocked about 70% of the leaves off our 'Little Henry', so would likely be times when it would too thin as a privacy screen. Argarita (mahonia trifoliolata) is another possibility, though has prickly leaves and a rough open form in the wild. Only recall seeing one in cultivation that was big and bushy enough to serve as a screen. Maybe others know more on how this grows under care in north Texas? We started the slow growing Texas mountain laurel (Sophora secundiflora) as an eventual (decade+ from now) replacement for a section of nandina screen. Seen these left in shrub form as hedge in SA, so could potentially serve as an alternative to a photinia hedge where there is enough space. Considered marginal this far north, but was unsheltered and undamaged during our recent 3-day deep freeze. Here is a link that might be useful:

Well, again thanks for your kind words. Hmmmm, let me answer the questions. Anele, no I didn't grown up in New Mexico, I grew up on Lake St.Clair in Michigan. I didn't move out here until I got married, as DH wanted to come here to go into practice. I know what works, plant-wise,out here because I'm a Master Gardener, although I haven't worked in the field in many years. I'd love to go back for a refresher course someday soon, though. I need it! KitchenKelly, thanks for the gate comps. Out here turquoise has long been thought to keep out evil spirits, so it's very common to see windows, doors and gates painted that color. Thanks goodness I love turquoise! Natal: I'm very happy with the Cherry Skullcap so far. It seems to be a tough little plant. Marti: that's what I'm waiting for! We had to start completely over last summer with all new plants, as my ivy took over every bed and had to be crowbar'ed out of there. Mimi and Hostagrams: that humidity, coupled with your heat sounds crushing to me, too! I don't blame you for not wanting to sit outside when it's like that. We don't have mosquitoes up here. I think the elevation, at 6,000 ft, is too much for them . . . thank goodness! Hostagrams: We had the tall adobe walls built along with the house. We had the raised adobe planters built about two years later. We live in the mountains and the ground is filled with very large boulder. The soil is poor and so raised beds are the most practical and they save us a LOT of water. Shee, we had that Japanese Maple planted 16 years ago, but I don't believe that it's a dwarf species. The microclimate that we have it in back there works to our advantage, as it never grows much above the top of our house. Beyond that is too sunny and dry for it. Tina: we're the flagstone sisters! I am so surprised at how long it's taken us to plan, cut, dig in, level and interplant this small garden . . .not to mention, add irrigation to it! Hope yours is going faster than ours did! Parma: thanks. DH loves that little alley nook and is planning on putting a small bench for reading back there next. Oakleyok, love my Morning Glories, too! I like the Heavenly Blue but those darn Bush MG's keep coming back. I wish I'd never planted that one little plant! Upa Lazy River: Yikes, bee's in the thyme are one thing I hadn't considered! I have Pink Chintz, Woolly and Elfin interplanted. Thanks for your warning to look out for them when my thyme is in bloom. Trailrunner: my finger is still fairly numb. I had no idea that spray painting could screw up a finger like this! Don't you love Taos? I especially enjoy taking a long weekend there in the Autumn when they have the art show in the Plaza and the Wool Festival in Kit Carson Park at the same time. We usually stay at the Fechin Inn nearby. Yayagal, Joann, Loribee and AWM03, thank you :~) NewHomeBuilder: thanks! We live in a mountain valley with our big mountain behind the house, soft hills out front and a view to the west, down the valley and out 60 miles. We feel very blessed to have such great views. OK, the patio table is set with Margaritas, iced tea, chips and salsa . . . when are you all arriving??? Lynn :^) Oakleyok, here's pic of my Heavenly Blue Morning Glories that I took before: