Escallonia

How to choose an escallonia

For a tall hedge or windbreak, Escallonia, the species Escallonia rubra, grows to 2 or 3 metres with deep pink to red flowers. The White Escallonia, Iveyi, is another strong grower to about 3 metres, with larger leaves and big heads of white flowers in summer.

Escallonia Apple Blossom is a mid sized shrub with pink and white flowers, a good height for a hedge of 1 to 1.5 metres. For edging and low borders, the Pink Pixi Escallonia and the Dwarf Escallonia are compact pink flowered forms that stay well under a metre and need little clipping.

Where escallonia works

Escallonia is at home in cool temperate and warm temperate climates, and it is one of the dependable hedges for exposed coastal gardens in Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, southern New South Wales and the south of Western Australia. It tolerates salt wind, moderate frost and most soils that drain. In very cold inland districts, hard frost can burn the soft tips, which grow out in spring.

It struggles in tropical humidity and is a poor choice for the wet tropics. In the subtropics it grows, but flowers less and can suffer leaf spot in a wet summer, so give it an open, airy position. Full sun gives the densest growth and the most flowers, and light shade is accepted. Bees work the flowers through the warm months.

For more options, see our hedging and screening plants, the coastal and salt tolerant plants and other evergreen shrubs.

Planting and spacing

Plant in autumn or spring in well drained soil with compost dug through. For a hedge, space the tall growers 80 centimetres to a metre apart, Apple Blossom about 60 to 75 centimetres apart, and the dwarf forms 40 to 50 centimetres apart. As a free standing shrub, give a tall escallonia 2 metres. Water in well and mulch, keeping the mulch off the stems.

Care basics

Water regularly through the first summer. Once established, escallonia copes with dry spells, though a deep soak in a long hot period keeps the foliage glossy. Feed in spring with a general garden fertiliser.

Trim after the main flush of flowers. Escallonia flowers on new growth, so a light trim brings a second flush, while constant tight shearing through summer removes most of the buds. For a formal hedge, clip in early spring and again after flowering. An old, open plant can be cut back hard in early spring and will reshoot from the base, which is one of its advantages over many hedging plants. Leaf drop in the middle of the plant usually follows a dry spell or leaf spot in humid weather. Clear the fallen leaves and water at the base.

Common questions

How fast does an escallonia hedge grow?

The tall types put on 30 to 50 centimetres a year in good conditions. Dwarf forms are much slower.

Is escallonia good near the sea?

Yes. It tolerates salt laden wind and is widely used as a front line coastal hedge in temperate districts.

When should I prune escallonia?

After flowering for a light shape, or early spring if the plant needs a harder cut.

Does escallonia grow in Queensland?

It can be grown in the cooler south east and on the ranges, but it dislikes tropical humidity and performs better further south.