This native of Chile is a tough evergreen shrub with medium texture growing up to thirteen feet high. It has glossy dark green aromatic leaves and produces loose panicles of pink to red flowers in mid-summer . Although Escallonia can tolerate short periods of drought it does best with adequate moisture. It can be used as a hedge, screen or windbreak, or massed in a shrub border. Since it is salt tolerant it is especially suitable for coastal gardens. It is not heat tolerant, however, and needs some shade in hot climates. Several cultivars are available varying in size, hardiness, and flower color.
Type: Evergreen, flowering shrub
Outstanding Feature: Flowers in summer
Form: Upright, mounded
Growth Rate: Fast to medium
Bloom: Loose panicles of pink to red flowers in summer
Size: 10-15’ H x 10-15” W
Light: Full sun to partial shade; needs some shade in hot climates
Soil: Average, moist, well-drained
Hardiness: Zones 8-10
Care: Prune lightly after blooming to encourage a compact form; tolerates severe prunning
Pests and Diseases: Generally pest and disease tolerant but can be attacked by scale; for control use horticultural oil in late winter and early summer.
Propagation: Semi-hardwood cuttings in summer, hardwood cuttings in winter; seed
Outstanding Selections:
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‘Crimson Spire’ (erect, bright crimson flowers)
‘Frades’ (abundance of pink flowers; 5-6’ H, compact; Zones 9-10)
