Summer 2018 - What's New?

Yes, true, it has been a while since our last blog posting, and although we have a modest following and readership, we hope to reach out to more tree-lovers over the following weeks and months.

Well then... What's New? For the nursery, quite a lot... We moved the nursery to this southwestern Missouri location in late 2015. We started from scratch, developing the facility as time and resources were available, now with the many projects in various stages of utility. We have been busy, land has been cleared, the Johnson Grass and other durable weeds are constantly being controlled, new beds and work areas, watering systems installed, new buildings to help us manage and grow the nursery, plus modest work on the website and other marketing venues. There is still a lot to be done, so each day is another opportunity to move just a little bit further along in our endeavors.

Over the years, our theme has been the Fast Growing Trees, primarily for privacy screens and windbreaks, featuring our Ameri-Willow hybrid. We experiment and grow many trees and plants, having had over 200 types offered for quite a few years, but change is constant in the nursery. We still grow our core fast-growers, and we have increasingly been producing the edible trees and shrubs, namely select fruit trees and berry bushes. Keep tabs on our catalog webpage for the latest availability.

And speaking of availability... as it is summer, so not much can be shipped. We are still primarily mail-order, and that makes shipping limited at certain times of the year. As the spring weather gets warmer, trees break dormancy, and the temperatures while the box is in transit, gets too warm. This means that shipping declines to a trickle, although we can and do ship some items using various tricks and techniques. Really the best time to ship, or receive your trees, is while they are dormant, but that also depends on your location. The general rules-of-thumb we use is, the northern states ship in late-summer to early fall, then again from late-winter to late-spring, sometimes even early summer. Now the southern states, or the southern half of the country, generally has the best shipping windows from late-fall through early, sometimes mid-spring. Actually there are many variables involved we consider when processing the orders. If in doubt about the timing, ask us... we can help.

Plan for the fall... What's New in our varied assortment of trees and plants will become shippable again as the weather and tree conditions become favorable. Maybe we will have more our our project-work done as well... Our motto is "Plan early, plant early", so watch the Catalog for further changes. 

Go to the Catalog

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Written by Empire National Nursery, LLc Your Southwest Missouri Source for Fast Growing Trees.
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Are Red Tip Photinia Plants Available?

 Are the Red Tip Photinia plants available? Hmm... good question, one that is asked quite commonly. Simply... Yes! Well sort of...


The Red-Tip Photinia, or commonly called Photinia or Red Tips, is (Photinia fraseri), a member of the Rose Family in plant jargon. This popularly planted fast growing evergreen shrub can grow up to ten or twelve feet tall, often very dense hedge-like or small tree in shape. Masses of tiny white clustered flowers in the Springtime, give way to bright to dark red new leaves and shoots as the photinia grows.





Now we have talked about the Red Tips before in a previous blog, so let us get right to the point, or red-tip, shall we say...



We have grown Photinia for over 18 years, and the Red Tip is one of our most popular plants. But for as many as we grow, the Photinia always sells out just as fast as we can pull them from the beds and containers. Yes, we do hold back portions of the crops, otherwise we would never have any available...



Yes, currently the Photinia are available, they are ready to ship, and the size of the red tips will vary. We do keep the website updated, and the Catalog also, and sometimes we run ads through our ebay store. We try to ship these from about February through the Spring, and even through the Summer months. Because Summer sales are not greatly promoted, we often have Photinia plants available in the Fall. Now we typically have few or don't offer them during the colder months...



Want Red Tip Photinia plants? Order now while they are available, they will sell-out fast! Do ask us if you have any questions...



Learn more and Order now... Go to (http://www.cdr3.com/redtip)












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Written by Empire National Nursery, Your Southwestern Virginia Source for Fast Growing Trees.

Red-Tip Photinia - a Fast Growing Evergreen

Red-Tip Photinia - a Fast Growing Evergreen

One of the most popular evergreen shrubs for the warmer plant zones is the Red Tip Photinia (Photinia fraseri). The new growth is bright to deep red shoots and leaves, and masses of white Spring flowers, makes this a very attractive landscape shrub.

The two major features of this shrub is that its an evergreen, and that it can be very fast growing. Fast growing trees and shrubs are very popular for privacy screens and windbreaks, and as shrubs, hedges or fence line borders are widely popular also. Combine the two - fast growing and evergreen, and you have a plant that is highly prized in 'quick' landscape design.

Now growth rates do vary widely as per growing conditions (soils, climate, watering, fertilizing, etc.) so to state a growth-rate is always unrealistic. Even so, it is nice to have an idea what the Red Tip Photinia can grow. Fast growing is a relative term, but with Photinia, you can see anywhere from one foot to four feet of growth in a season. Now keep in mind, that as the Photinia grows, it is the whole 'ball' or spread that grows. So even at a foot, the incremental growth can be significant. It is important to keep the red Tip Photinia pruned, to both improve its growth and to develop the shrub into a dense evergreen mass. As the new growth develops (the red tips and shoots), pruning will help the plant to 'thicken up'. After the new growth turns from red to regular green like the rest of the plant, then trim some of the new growth. This can be done one to several times during the growing season. Each time this is done, new shoot buds will develop along the stems, producing more and more foliage. Repeat this process over several years, and the Red-Tip will be that classic dense shrub as noted in the various pictures and yards we see. Kept untrimmed, the Photinia will fill out moderately, but pruning really helps.

The Red-Tip Photinia grows best from Plant Zones 7 to 10, maybe even into Zone 6 with some luck. We have seen Photinia growing in Missouri, but generally the warmer climates are better. Height of the Red Tip Photinia can reach about ten to twelve feet, and about the same for width (varies with pruning). Develop the Photinia into a tree, for a focual point or limited space small tree. Photinia in the tree form does take more time and patience, but to have the whole umbrella a mass of white flowers is a spectacular sight! Watering and fertilizing are always questions asked. The Red Tip Photinia likes full sun, so the water demand is moderate. Depending on the soil and climate, you will want to monitor the soil moisture and keep the soil moist but not wet. Because the Photinia is a fast growing evergreen shrub, the Red Tip burns a lot of nutrients. Because of that, keep fertilized with a moderately strong nitrogen fertilizer. Really any type will do, but do fertilizer at least once during the growing season. Again, depending on the growing conditions, fertilize in late Winter before active, once of twice during the growing season to keep the evergreen growing at its best, then a low-nitorgen fertilizer in the late Summer or early Fall to fortify the shrub for the cooler Winter temperatures.

As a member of the Rose Family (Roseaceae), Photinia may have aphids and other minor pests bothering it. Like roses, deer are often fond of the Photinia, so be forewarned... NO mulch... One of the few trees or shrubs that should not have that thick layer of mulch is the Red Tip Photinia. This is because the Black Spot virus (common in Roses) festers in the organic material under the plant. Using a plastic mulch or weed cloth can be fine. Black spot can be fatal, but often more a comestic problem, and develops in cold temperatures and humidity. Mulch tends to increase the chance of its development. The warmer and drier the climate, the less likely Black Spot will develop. As the warmer drier season approaches, Photinia tends to grow out of the problem. Trimming can remove the unsightly stems and leaves.

Now as a grower of Red Tip Photinia, we always seem to sell out early in the Spring. We grow as much Photinia as we can, but we always sell out! The best time to order is early... anytime from late Summer through Winter, and by Spring, we tend to be sold-out. Book or place your orders early, and we can best meet your requests.

The Red Tip Photinia is a fast growing evergreen shrub, and now you know a little bit more...

Happy Planting!

Learn more... Order here!

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Written by Empire National Nursery, Your North Carolina Source for Fast Growing Trees.