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escallonia rubra hedge

Introduce vibrant colour and year-round interest to your garden with an Escallonia rubra hedge. This popular evergreen shrub is prized for its glossy, dark green foliage and clusters of deep rose-red flowers that bloom from late spring through autumn. Fast-growing and resilient, Escallonia rubra creates a dense, lush barrier that is perfect for shelter, privacy, and windbreaks in New Zealand gardens. Whether edging a driveway, defining boundaries, or adding structure to mixed borders, an Escallonia rubra hedge offers lasting beauty and low maintenance appeal.

Escallonia rubra

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Escallonia rubra is renowned for its vibrant colours and unique appearance. Small and glossy, green foliage serves as a stunning backdrop to the masses of pink, dark pink, and sometimes red flowers during spring and summer. It is an easily grown shrub with a bushy habit, typically reaching 2.5 m in height and width. Escallonia rubra is commonly included in mixed plantings, used as a backdrop for smaller plants, trimmed into a hedge, included in cottage gardens, or planted around outdoor living areas.

Escallonia rubra macrantha hedge.
  • Suited to regions:
    Subtropical, Temperate
  • Plant type:
    Shrubs
  • Height:
    2.50 m
  • Spread:
    2.50 m
  • Flowering time:
    Spring, Summer
  • Tolerances:
    Coastal, Hardy
  • Garden uses:
    Hedging, Living areas, Pool areas, Screening
  • Garden styles:
    Backyard, City & Courtyard, Coastal, Formal, Frontyard, Japanese, Modern
Escallonia 'Red Elf' red flowers and glossy, green foliage.
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Escallonia 'Red Elf'

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Escallonia 'White Knight' white flowers above lush, green foliage.
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Escallonia 'White Knight'

Escallonia 'White Knight' is a compact, evergreen shrub admired in New Zealand gardens for its glossy green foliage and masses of pure white...

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Escallonia 'Snowbud' lush green foliage with masses of white flowers.
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Escallonia 'Gold Brian'

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A large Escallonia 'Apple Blossom' shrub in a garden with soft-pink flowers and lush, green foliage.
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Escallonia rubra

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Why Choose an Escallonia rubra Hedge?

Escallonia rubra is an outstanding hedge plant thanks to its rapid growth, attractive flowers, and tolerance to coastal winds and moderate drought. This makes it well-suited to a range of New Zealand conditions, from urban backyards to exposed rural sites. The dense foliage not only forms an effective privacy screen but also provides habitat and food for bees and other pollinators when in flower. Regular trimming helps maintain a tidy, formal hedge, or you can let it grow more naturally for a softer, cottage garden look.

Planting and Caring for Escallonia rubra

For the best results, plant your Escallonia rubra hedge in full sun to partial shade, in well-drained soil. Space plants about 50-70 cm apart to form a solid hedge, and water them thoroughly during establishment. Once settled, Escallonia rubra is remarkably easy to care for— occasional pruning after flowering will keep it neat and encourage bushy growth, while occasional feeding and mulching will support long-term health and flowering.

Versatile Companions for Escallonia rubra

An Escallonia rubra hedge pairs beautifully with other hardy, flowering shrubs. If you love the look of Escallonia, consider adding varieties such as Escallonia 'Red Elf' for compact form, Escallonia 'White Knight' for white blooms, or Escallonia 'Snowbud' for a softer colour palette. For a splash of gold, Escallonia 'Gold Brian' stands out with striking variegated foliage, while Escallonia 'Apple Blossom' offers charming pink and white flowers.

Alternatives and Companion Shrubs

If you’re looking for variety in your landscape design, complement your Escallonia rubra hedge with shrubs like Coprosma autumnalis (Kanono), valued for its glossy leaves and native resilience, or Cistus Silver Pink, perfect for dry, sunny spots. Add year-round interest with Elaeagnus ebbingei (Silverberry) or go bold with Clianthus puniceus (Parrot Beak Plant) and its striking red blooms. Shade-loving Skimmia japonica (female) (Japanese Skimmia Plant) is perfect for adding depth under higher hedges.

Order Your Escallonia rubra Hedge Today

With its versatility, toughness, and vibrant display, an Escallonia rubra hedge is a top choice for New Zealand gardens. Explore our range of Escallonia cultivars to create the perfect hedge, or mix with companion shrubs for a layered, wildlife-friendly garden that thrives year-round.


Contact us

Whether you need assistance finding the plant you’re looking for or you simply want to know more about who we are and what we do, we invite you to get in touch with us today. A member of The Plant Company team will get back in touch as soon as possible.

Gardeners love Lomandra 'Tanika' and Lomandra Frosty Tops, but there’s a growing buzz around plants like Camellia Roger Hall, Olive Ascolano, and Helichrysum petiolare (Licorice Plant).
–The Plant Company

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