As Many Shrubs Pause Between Seasons, Escallonia Keeps Flowering On, Its Glossy Branches Sprinkled with Pink, Red or White Blossom

Long Summer Season Of Flowers

Escallonia’s real party trick is just how long it can stay in bloom. Starting in early summer and often continuing in flushes right into early autumn, it sprinkles the garden with clusters of pink, red or white flowers when many shrubs have already finished their main show. In a sunny position, the flowers are produced generously along the stems, creating a soft haze of colour. It’s the sort of shrub that quietly keeps things cheerful through holidays, barbecues and late-season evenings outdoors.

  • Long Summer Season Of Flowers
  • Evergreen Foliage With A Polished Look
  • Tough, Adaptable And Easy To Live With

Escallonia at a Glance:

Common name: Escallonia

Latin name: Escallonia

Size in UK gardens: Commonly 1.5–2m tall and wide, sometimes up to around 2.5m if left untrimmed, but easy to keep smaller with regular pruning.

Best position: A sunny, reasonably sheltered spot, ideal along a fence, as a hedge, or at the back of a mixed border.

Soil: Free-draining, moderately fertile soil; happiest where winter wet is avoided.

Flowering time: Typically June to September, with clusters of pink, red or white flowers that can repeat through summer.

Fragrance: Flowers are often lightly scented, and the foliage has a resinous aroma when brushed or crushed.

Hardiness: Generally hardy in most milder and coastal parts of the UK and in many Cambridgeshire gardens; in colder, exposed sites it may need a bit of shelter.

Care level: Low to moderate; regular watering while young and a yearly trim after flowering keep it neat and floriferous.
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Escallonia Care at a Glance:

Planting time: As a container-grown shrub, Escallonia can be planted in most months when the ground isn’t frozen or waterlogged, with spring and autumn usually the easiest times for new roots to get going.

Watering: Water regularly through the first growing season so the roots can spread into the surrounding soil, especially in dry spells. Once established, it’s fairly drought-tolerant and only needs extra water in prolonged dry weather.

Feeding: A light feed with a balanced granular fertiliser in spring, or a mulch of garden compost around the base, is usually enough to keep growth healthy and flowering reliable.

Pruning: Prune lightly after the main flush of flowers, trimming back the season’s growth to keep the shape neat and encourage fresh shoots. Avoid very hard pruning at the wrong time if you want a good display of blooms.

Winter: In most milder UK gardens Escallonia remains evergreen, though in particularly cold winters there may be some leaf scorch or dieback at the tips. A little shelter and a mulch at the base will help younger plants through their first winters.

Varieties We Usually Stock

Availability is always changing, so please check with us if you have a particular variety in mind.

Acer campestre

Acer campestre 'Elsrijk'

Acer campestre 'Queen Elizabeth'

Acer campestre 'Carnival'

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, Escallonia is excellent for informal hedges and light screening, especially in sunny, reasonably sheltered positions. Its evergreen leaves give year-round cover, while its summer flowers add colour and seasonal interest. Planted in a row and spaced sensibly, plants will knit together into a dense, leafy barrier within a few seasons. A trim after flowering helps keep the hedge neat and encourages bushy growth from low down. It’s a particularly good choice where you want a hedge that feels softer and more garden-friendly than a very formal evergreen.

In typical UK conditions, Escallonia often reaches around 1.5–2m in height and spread, and can become larger over time if left unpruned, sometimes to about 2.5m. Growth is usually fairly quick once the plant has established, which makes it popular for hedges and screens. However, it responds well to pruning, so you can keep it lower or narrower if space is limited. Trimming once or twice a year allows you to maintain the size that best suits your garden while still enjoying its flowers.

Escallonia can be grown successfully in a large container, making it suitable for smaller gardens, patios and courtyards where border space is limited. Choose a generous pot with good drainage, filled with quality peat-free compost mixed with some grit for structure. Regular watering and a slow-release feed in spring will keep it healthy, and light pruning will help maintain a compact shape. In a very small garden, a single potted Escallonia can provide evergreen height and summer colour without overwhelming the space.

Escallonia typically begins flowering in early summer, often in June, and can continue to bloom in flushes through to early autumn, sometimes into September or beyond in a kind year. The flowers are produced along the stems in clusters, providing a long, gentle display rather than a single short burst. To keep the show going, plant it in a sunny spot and avoid very heavy pruning in spring, which can remove many of the flowering shoots. A light trim after the main flowering period is usually the best approach.