Escallonia
Escallonia rubra (Ruiz & Pav.) Pers.
Also known as: Red escallonia
Family: Escalloniaceae
1.50 to 3 m tall
Planted in hedges, notably on the coast, ordinary well-drained soils
Flowering: June – October
Full sun
Fairly hardy, to about -12°C, tolerates sea spray well
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
Escallonia tolerates sea spray and salt-laden wind remarkably well, which makes it one of the most widely planted hedging shrubs on the French Atlantic coast, where many other species struggle to establish.
🍃 Leaves
Evergreen, oval, glossy, finely toothed, aromatic when crushed
🌸 Flowers
Pink to red, bell-shaped, grouped in small racemes
🍎 Fruits
Small dry capsule
🗺️ Distribution
Native to South America; widely planted in France, notably on the Atlantic coast
🐝 Value for pollinators
Long, nectar-rich flowering, very attractive to bees from summer to autumn
✂️ Horticultural uses
Hedging shrub highly resistant to sea spray, planted by the sea, long and generous flowering
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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