How to Grow Escallonia
Escallonia is a summer flowering, evergreen shrub which originates from South America. It has attractive glossy leaves and a profusion of flowers in early summer, which are usually pink, red or white, and in some varieties, scented.
Escallonia looks good as a specimen shrub, but also makes a great hedge. Escallonia is ideal for seaside gardens being tolerant of salt spray.
Where to plant Escallonia
Escallonia grows and flowers best when planted in full sun into good, well-drained soil away from cold winds. Full sun is best, but Escallonia will flower and tolerate dappled/light shade as long as light levels are good.
Different varieties of Escallonia vary in the degree of frost hardiness. The hardiest variety is E. 'Donard Seedling,' which is at least H4 down to -5. Winter wet is the issue here. Planted in a naturally dry part of the country this E. 'Donard Seedling' is thriving and tolerating temperatures below -5.
Another lovely hardy variety is Escallonia Apple blossom. As you can see in the image, lovely white flowers tinged with pink. Provided there is plenty of sun, and it's planted in a dry spot away from cold winds, this variety of Escallonia will grow in most parts of the UK, excluding the very exposed, cold and /or wet.
Where you garden in the UK makes a big difference. I had no prospect of growing Escallonia in a northern, pennine garden, but in the east of the country, which can be very cold, it thrives. Whereever in the garden you plant your Escallonia, as with all newly planted shrubs, water, water and water again until the roots are down and can absorb water for themselves.
How to prune Escallonia
Escallonia is a low maintenance shrub which does not require annual pruning. You can prune Escallonia, but as you can see from the image left, Escallonia has a nice natural shape with an arching habit.
For pruning, timing is important. Do not prune in the spring as you will cut off the branches with embryo flowers, resulting in little or no flowers that year.
It can be tempting to take the secateurs to the garden in the spring. You should prune Escallonias and all spring-flowering shrubs only after they have flowered, later in the summer. Either do not prune it or prune it with just a light shearing after flowering in late summer.
Escallonia grows to around 3m with 2.5m spread. This means if you are growing Escallonia as a hedge (and it is a popular hedging plant,) shrubs need to be planted about 45 cms apart. If the Escallonia has outgrown its allotted space, it is possible to prune it harder to re shape and reduce in size. If an Escallonia has got out of hand, it will respond to hard pruning, although it may not flower the year after pruning it will recover.
Which variety of Escallonia are best?
All Escallonia flowers are attractive to bees.
The choice of Escallonia may depend on the aspect of your garden. The more exposed your garden/selected planting place, the greater the need for hardiness of the Escallonia variety.
Escallonia 'Apple Blossom' illustrated is a compact variety, with a profusion of scented flowers from early to midsummer which are white, flushed apple-blossomed pink H4 hardy which means it needs to be planted in a sheltered spot, 2.5 x 2 (height.) Apple Blossom has some of the largest flowers in this group and is a really pretty shrub- available on Crocus (affiliate link).
Escallonia 'Donard Seedling' a vigorous shrub which flowers white, flushed pink, early to mid summer from pink buds and has very attractive glossy foliage. 'Donard Seedling' is one of the hardiest of Escallonia to grow, making it more suitable for colder inland gardens, but plant away from cold winds. Growing to 3 x 2.5 m - this variety is available from Thompson and Morgan (affiliate link)
Escallonai 'Iveyi' illustrated above is an RHS award winning variety with larger, dark green foliage and pure white flowers, but generally considered less hardy, more suited to sheltered and coastal gardens. Overall size 3 x 3m. It is one of the most popular Escallonia to grow and its flowers are described as scented- also available from Crocus
Other varieties of Escallonia are E.Leucantha which is large 3.5 x 3m with white flowers but needs the shelter of south-facing wall is H4 hardy.
E. Virgata is similar, but smaller and H4 hardy
E. 'Langleyensis' which is evergreen or semi-evergreen and more arching in appearance with pink/red flowers and again ** hardy.
There are only two other varieties of Escallonia which are H5 which is hardy to -10-15 degrees namely, E. 'C.F.Ball' which is bright red flowering and 'Edinensis' pink/red flowering.
There are now some dwarf varieties of Escallonia such as E.'Pink Pixie' which, as the name suggests, has lovely pink flowers, (not scented) the same glossy leaves but only grows to around 80cms x 80cms and is fast growing. Ideal for container growing on a patio or balcony.
Similar is E. Pink Elle, a little larger reaching 100cms, and E. rubra ‘Pygmaea’ about 75cms.
There is a variety with golden leaves, E. ' Golden Carpet' illustrated left, which to my mind it doesn't look anywhere near as handsome as those varieties with the dark green glossy leaves.
Many varieties of Escallonia will suit coastal or sheltered gardens; however, for exposed or cold plots, 'Donard Seedling' is the best choice.
More varieties of Escallonia to view and on sale at Crocus and Thompson and Morgan
For an alternative similar shrub, as in an evergreen flowering shrub with scented flowers, but which is more hardy, try Choisya.
Check out Fast Growing Evergreen Shrubs and shrubs for shade for more planting ideas.
Although Escallonia are a bit fussy about their growing conditions, being slightly tender, they are easy to grow and maintenance free.