Escallonia rubra aka Redclaws

Escallonia rubra belongs to the Escalloniaceae family. This shrub is evergreen, which means it keeps its leaves year-round. Its common names include red escallonia and redclaws. It comes from central and southern Chile and southern Argentina. It grows in regions with a temperate climate. People have also brought it to parts of the western United States. There, it grows on roadsides, bluffs, and beaches. These sites lie in coastal Oregon and northern California.

This shrub grows fast and forms a dense, round crown. Its branches spread out. NC State gives garden sizes of 10–15 feet [3–4.6 metres]. The RHS gives about 16 feet [5 metres] tall and wide. Its wider size range reaches 26 feet [8 metres] both ways. Plants take about five to ten years to mature. Red-green stems form many branches. They bear short white hairs and glands on stalks. The thick, glossy leaves vary in shape and green hue. Leaves grow in turn along the stems, not in pairs. They have toothed edges and bases that grow narrow. Some leaves feel sticky, and the leaves have a scent.

Small flowers grow in loose groups in summer and early autumn. Their colours range from deep red to pink. NC State also notes purple tones and white mixed with red. Each flower forms a tube or funnel with five lobes. Beneath each flower sits a calyx, the outer flower cup. These cups have hairs and glands and look red or purple. The blooms have a scent and draw bees and butterflies. NC State lists brown fruit but gives two conflicting types. It lists capsules yet calls the fruit a berry.

This shrub prefers full sun but also grows in partial shade. Both sources list clay, loam, and sand as suitable soils. The RHS lists chalk too. It can grow in acid, neutral, and alkaline soils. The soil must drain well and stay moist during growth. NC State says it can cope when soil dries at times. Shield it from cold winds that dry the leaves. It tolerates salt spray, which suits sites near the coast. It does less well in inland summer heat and humidity. Its ratings are USDA zones 8–10 and UK H4.

Use it for hedges, screens, windbreaks, or borders. You can also train it against a wall. Prune after bloom to help form a strong branch structure. It can cope with heavy pruning. Scale insects and escallonia leaf spot may occur. The RHS also warns of honey fungus. NC State reports few serious problems overall.