Escallonia
Escallonia rubra
Escallonia is a glossy-leaved evergreen shrub from South America, prized for its long display of small pink, red or white flowers. It makes an excellent hedge in mild, coastal climates.
- Light
- Full sun to part shade
- Water
- Moderate; regular while establishing
- Difficulty
- Easy
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Overview
Escallonia is a genus of evergreen shrubs native to South America, especially the Andes. They are grown for their dense, glossy foliage and abundant clusters of small tubular flowers in pink, red, rose or white.
The plants flower over a long season from summer into autumn and have a neat, bushy habit that responds well to clipping, making them a favorite for hedging and screening.
Escallonia is particularly well suited to mild, maritime gardens, tolerating salt-laden coastal wind, though it is not reliably hardy in colder inland regions.
How to identify it
- Flowers: small, tubular or bell-shaped flowers in clusters, in shades of pink, red, rose or white; long blooming
- Leaves: small, alternate, glossy dark green, often finely toothed and slightly aromatic or resinous
- Habit: dense, rounded evergreen shrub, typically 3 to 10 ft tall depending on variety
- Stems: densely branched, well-suited to shearing
- Bloom time: summer into autumn
Care & growing
Best in full sun to light shade with shelter from the coldest winds.
- Water: moderate; water regularly while establishing, then fairly drought tolerant
- Soil: well-drained; tolerant of most soils but dislikes very alkaline chalk
- Temperature: USDA zones 8 to 10; mild-climate and coastal shrub
- Feeding: light feed in spring
- Pruning: trim hedges after flowering; tolerates regular clipping well
- Propagation: semi-hardwood cuttings root easily in summer
Habitat & origin
Native to South America, particularly the Andes of Chile and Argentina, where it grows in scrub and woodland edges.
Widely cultivated in mild temperate and maritime climates, it is especially popular for hedging in coastal Britain, Ireland, the Pacific Northwest and similar regions thanks to its salt and wind tolerance.
Frequently asked questions
Is escallonia good for hedging?
Yes, it is one of the best evergreen flowering hedges for mild and coastal climates, with glossy foliage and a long bloom season.
Does escallonia tolerate salt and wind?
Very well. It is a classic seaside shrub that withstands salt-laden coastal wind better than many evergreens.
How hardy is it?
Escallonia is suited to mild climates (roughly USDA zones 8 to 10) and can be damaged by hard frosts inland.
When should I prune escallonia?
Trim hedges and shape plants just after the main flush of flowering, since it blooms on the current and previous season's growth.
Escallonia guides
In-depth guides for identifying, growing, and caring for Escallonia.
