Escallonia macrantha rubra
Escallonia macrantha - full name Escallonia macrantha rubra is one of the more upright members of the Escallonia family. It is a fast-growing evergreen shrub with shiny green leaves that have a spicy scent reminiscent of Friars Balsam or Allspice. Escallonia macrantha produces sweetly scented bright rose-red bell-shaped flowers through the summer months so it is best trimmed in late summer after flowering. Escallonia is ideal for coastal locations as it tolerates salt winds and loves the mild climate. Don't be deceived however, Escallonia is tougher than it looks and takes temperatures as low as -10C without trouble. Once confined to the South-West, Escallonia grows over an increasing area of the UK as the climate warms.
It grows best in sunny or partially shaded, well-drained positions, and like all Escallonia, macrantha loathes cold winds and damp or waterlogged sites. In colder inland locations, plant Escallonia near a wall for a little bit of shelter and warmth.
An excellent specimen shrub, and good in a shrub border, Escallonia macrantha is also well suited to hedges 90-300cm- 3-9’ in height, when it should be planted at 2 per metre in a single row.
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