How to prune Escallonia?

Escallonia is an evergreen bush with abundant white or pink flowering throughout summer. It makes an excellent subject for a free-standing or clipped hedge in mild climate, as it is only fairly hardy, down to -5°C to -10°C at most. In ordinary, well-drained soil, in sun and sheltered from wind, it grows quickly with little maintenance, and shows good disease resistance. Many cultivars exist, with white or pink flowers and glossy dark green or golden foliage, all derived from species Escallonia rubra or Escallonia red. Reaching 1.5 m to 2.5 m at maturity, some varieties form smaller specimens, such as Escallonia 'Red Dream', which tops out at 80 cm. Escallonia has vigorous growth and needs pruning, a simple task to carry out.

Why pruning?

Escallonia is vigorous, grows quickly and needs pruning to retain a harmonious silhouette. Ideally prune once or twice a year to keep a balanced bushy habit and encourage denser growth. As a summer-flowering bush, it produces new shoots just before flowering, so it quickly gains a lot of volume late in the season. Two annual prunings are all the more recommended when used as a hedge.

*Escallonia can be used in a free or clipped hedge, here with Ceanothus, Choisya and Photinia*

When to prune?

Escallonia sets its flower buds on current-year wood, like all summer-flowering bushes. If you carry out two prunings:

The first takes place during dormancy, late winter, before resumption of growth and bud formation. As Escallonia is moderately hardy and sensitive to late frosts, this pruning should be carried out as late as possible because it stimulates start of growth; delaying this bud burst period helps avoid damage from any late frosts. Ideally for Escallonia, carry out this pruning in March–April.
The second should be done after flowering, in August–September, since the bush will have gained a lot of volume from growth and flowering, to balance the silhouette and maintain a dense habit.

How to prune?

Technique

Generally, perform a light pruning, with a pruning shear or shear, shortening tips of shoots by 20 to 40 cm.

Sharpen tools to make clean, neat cuts.
Disinfect tools with 90% alcohol to avoid spreading disease.
Make an angled cut just above a bud or a leaf. Choose ones facing outwards to obtain airy branches.
In first years, reduce branches by one-third to thicken plant and maintain compact habit.
In general, remove dead or thin wood that unbalances silhouette, then shorten tips of shoots by 20 to 40 cm.
For specimens planted as a hedge: with a hedge trimmer or shear, trim slightly stems compromising symmetry and remove spent flowers.
An older specimen can be cut back more severely if you wish to reduce its spreading or to restore shape to an over-tall, sparsely branched plant.
An Escallonia planted alone or in a border can also be pruned into a ball. In that case, follow plant's shape, stepping back regularly to observe work and adjust cuts accordingly.

Equipment

Small pruning shear for small branches, heavy-duty pruning shear with curved blades or a pruning saw for large branches if bush is left untrimmed.
Shears or hedge trimmer for Escallonia hedges.