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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.
Most Popular

Escallonia 'Red Elf'

Escallonia 'Red Elf' is a compact, evergreen shrub prized for its glossy, green foliage and vibrant, red, bell-shaped flowers that bloom from late...

From$24.23
Escallonia 'White Knight' white flowers above lush, green foliage.
Most Popular

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...

From$24.23
Escallonia 'Snowbud' lush green foliage with masses of white flowers.
Most Popular

Escallonia 'Snowbud'

Escallonia 'Snowbud' is a hardy, evergreen shrub that brings year-round structure and charm to New Zealand gardens. It produces masses of small...

From$24.23
escallonia-gold-brian--3
Most Popular

Escallonia 'Gold Brian'

Escallonia 'Gold Brian' is a beautiful plant known for its yellow-green leaves, which serve as a lovely backdrop to the clusters of small, rose-pink...

From$24.23
A large Escallonia 'Apple Blossom' shrub in a garden with soft-pink flowers and lush, green foliage.
Most Popular

Escallonia 'Apple Blossom'

Escallonia 'Apple Blossom' is a graceful, evergreen shrub featuring glossy green foliage and soft pink, bell-shaped flowers with pale centres...

From$24.23
Gardenia 'Fragrant Star' white flowers and dark green foliage.
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Gardenia Fragrant Star

Gardenia 'Fragrant Star' is a compact, evergreen shrub prized for its intensely perfumed, star-shaped white flowers and glossy green foliage...

From$26.93
Hibiscus 'Lady Stanley' flower.
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Hibiscus 'Lady Stanley'

Hibiscus 'Lady Stanley' is a charming deciduous shrub admired for its soft pink double blooms with a rich red centre. Flowering from mid to late...

From$26.93
An informal Escallonia 'Pink Elle' hedge growing alongside a fence.
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Escallonia 'Pink Elle'

Escallonia 'Pink Elle' is a compact variety of Escallonia, prized for its attractive foliage and small, fragrant flowers. Glossy, green leaves give...

From$63.07
Large Coprosma virescens shrub with brown stems and green leaves.
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Coprosma virescens (Mikimiki)

Coprosma virescens, also known as Mingimingi or Mikimiki, is a distinctive New Zealand native shrub characterised by its dense, divaricating form...

From$21.53
Lonicera 'Honey Hedge Lemon' yellow and green foliage.
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Lonicera 'Honey Hedge Lemon'

Lonicera 'Honey Hedge Lemon' is an evergreen shrub often used instead of Buxus for hedges. It carries dense, upright branches that host small and...

From$24.23
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.


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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.

–The Plant Company

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