Escallonia

escallonia

( esk - al - LOH - nee - uh )

At-A-Glance Information

This family of evergreen shrubs, commonly called Redclaws, needs full sun to partial shade in the warmest climates, and regular waterings. The blooms will attract butterflies to the garden. These plants are native to mountain ranges of North and South America, and are fast-growing with glossy green leaves that are sometimes fragrant (they have a smell reminiscent of honey). In summertime into fall, small clusters of red, pink or white flowers appear, attracting bees and other pollinators. Escallonia is commonly used for hedges, and do well in coastal areas.

Escallonia Species and Varietals

The genus Escallonia is in the family Escalloniaceae. The genus is named to honor 18th-century Spanish traveler, explorer, and botanist Antonio Escallón y Flórez. Escallonia grows best in USDA hardiness zones 7-9 or Sunset growing zones 4-9 and 14-24. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Escallonia bifida (Escallonia montevidensis) (White Escallonia, Cloven Gum Box, Arbol de Pito)
When grown as a shrub, these can grow to 8-12 feet tall and just as wide, and is useful as a screening plant. When grown as a small tree, these plants can reach up to 25 feet tall. Leaves are glossy and dark green, and flowers are white, blooming in large clusters at the end of branches. The species is sometimes sold as Escallonia illinita.

Escallonia x exoniensis (Pink Princess Escallonia, Pink Escallonia)
This is a hybrid of Escallonia rubra and another species, and reaches 12-20 feet tall and wide. Leaves are dark green on top, lighter underneath. Flowers are white to pale pink and appear in loose clusters at branch tips. Variety 'Frades' (Also called 'Fradesii'; pictured) is a more compact plant, with showy pure pink to rose blooms.

Escallonia spp. Hybrids (Hybrid Escallonia)
These cultivars were bred for their size, habit, or flower color and are crosses between Escallonia species. Cultivars are listed and described below:

'Apple Blossom'
To 5 feet tall and wide. With pink-white flowers.

'C.F. Ball'
To 5-8 feet tall and wide. Rich red blooms.

'Jubilee'
A compact plant to 4-6 feet with rose flowers.

'Newport Dwarf'
Compact; 2-3 feet tall and wide. Flowers are rose-red.

'Pride of Donard'
To 5 feet tall and 8 feet wide. Large pink blooms.

'Red Elf'
To 8 feet tall and 12 feet wide. Deep red flowers bloom in short clusters.

Escallonia laevis (Escallonia organensis) (Pink Escallonia, Glossy Escalonia)
Leafy, dense shrub that gets to 15 feet tall and wide. Leaves are bronze-green, and flowers are white to pink. Can be used as a large screening plant or trained as a small tree. Cultivars include 'Pink Elle' (compact with larger flowers), and 'Gold Brian' (with golden-tinged foliage).

Escallonia rubra (Redclaws, Red Escallonia)
This is an upright species that gets 6-15 feet tall and wide. Dark green leaves are very glossy, and flowers are red or crimson in color. Often used as a screen or hedge. Varieties include 'Crimson Spire' (bright crimson flowers), and Escallonia rubra macrantha (rose-colored flowers and a sprawling habit).

Escallonia virgata (Mata Negra, Meki)
A partially deciduous, hardy shrub that reaches up to 6 feet tall and 8 feet wide at maturity. This species produces pale rose-colored or white flowers with a honey-like scent. This is the hardiest species of Escallonia, widely valued for its cold tolerance and native to Chile and Argentina.

Caring for Escallonia

Plant Escallonia, or Redclaws, in a space in the landscape that receives full sun; ideally, they appreciate between 6 and 8 hours of sun each day for the best blooms. When these shrubs are grown in less light, they will not flower as profusely. Choose a space in the landscape that is somewhat sheltered; these plants do not like to be exposed to cooling, drying winds. Ensure that soil is well-draining, rich in nutrients, and has a pH of between 6.5 and 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral). If local soils are particularly poor in nutrients or do not drain well, make sure to amend the planting area with plenty of organic compost before installing. Apply a layer of mulch around the planting area to suppress weed growth, maintain consistent soil temperatures, and to increase soil moisture retention.

Water new plantings regularly as they establish a strong root system in their new home. At maturity, these plants perform well with consistently moist soil. Fertilize yearly in early springtime with an application of 2 inches of compost around the base of plants. Pull mulch back before applying, work the compost gently into the soil a bit, water it in, and then replace mulch. Prune twice a year, once at the end of winter to shape and once (a more hard prune) at the end of summer after the blooming period ends to rejuvenate. Escallonia shrubs are long-lived perennials, surviving in the landscape for 10 to 20 years or more, reaching maturity in between 2 and 5 years.

Propagation

Escallonia can be propagated either by using cuttings or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the cutting method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your shrub, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Escallonia by Cutting

Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. A good substrate for propagation of cuttings is a light blend of 1/3 pasteurized soil or compost, 1/3 sand, vermiculite or perlite, and 1/3 coconut coir or peat moss.
In spring or early summertime, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 6 inch portion(s) of the end of a non-blooming branch and strip the leaves off of the lower half. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm, sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about four to six weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth, you'll know you have roots.
Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new shrub.

Propagating Escallonia by Seed

Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. The best potting medium for seed germination is a light blend of 1/3 pasteurized soil or compost, 1/3 sand, vermiculite or perlite, and 1/3 coconut coir or peat moss.
Harvest your seeds in late summer or early fall. Seeds will be ready to be collected after flowers fade and the seed pods become dry and break open.
Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 7-14 days from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.

Problems and Pests

Escallonia shrubs are rarely bothered by pests or disease. For information on commonly-encountered pests and diseases in the garden, consult the following pages:

Pests & Pest Management

Plant Issues