Plant Care Guides / Outdoor & Coastal / Medium shrubs
Exotic (South American) | Easy Care | Medium shrubs
Escallonias are tough, glossy-leaved, evergreen shrubs that produce clusters of small, tubular flowers in pink or pink-and-white (Pink Princess, Apple Blossom) from spring through summer.
They are popular for hedging and screening in coastal gardens because they handle wind, salt spray and exposed conditions better than most exotic shrubs. The foliage is dense, dark green and glossy, and when crushed the leaves have a faint honey-like scent. They clip well into formal hedges, or left unpruned they form a naturally dense, arching shrub.
1.5 to 2.5 m tall and wide. Easily kept smaller with clipping.
Moderate to fast.
Hedge, screen, windbreak, boundary, mixed border. Excellent for exposed, windy, salty positions.
Full sun to semi-shade. Flowers best in sun.
Any reasonable, well-drained soil. Handles sandy coastal conditions with some compost worked in.
Moderate. Water while establishing. Reasonably drought-tolerant once settled, though it looks better with some moisture through summer.
Feed in spring with a balanced fertiliser. Not particularly demanding.
Prune after flowering to shape and encourage dense regrowth. Clips well as a formal hedge. Can be cut back hard if it outgrows its space; it recovers well.
Ask about availability. WhatsApp us to check what is currently in stock, or visit the nursery and we will help you choose the right plant for your spot.
