Escallonia rubra Crimson Spire

The 'Crimson Spire' Escallonia is an excellent evergreen bush, whether left untrimmed or pruned. Vigorous and fast-growing, it has an upright habit that can be kept dense through pruning and boasts a long summer flowering period with small tubular flowers of vibrant purple-pink. This striking colour is complemented by its fragrant foliage, which is a beautiful dark green. It is a must-have in coastal gardens as it thrives in full sun, tolerates partial shade in hot climates, and withstands salt spray, slightly chalky soils, and summer drought once established. Its only weakness is its moderate hardiness, as it struggles when temperatures drop below -10°C (14 °F).

The 'Crimson Spire' Escallonia is a horticultural cultivar derived from the Chilean species Escallonia rubra, which is extensively used by horticulturists due to its highly variable habit, foliage, and natural flowering. The Macrantha form distinguishes itself from the typical form with its vigour and large leaves, while the 'Crimson Spire' cultivar displays a particularly upright habit. All these plants belong to the Escalloniaceae family. Botanical escallonias are native to temperate zones of South America and Chile. In the wild, these shrubs grow among the scrub covering hillsides or on exposed coastal areas.

The 'Crimson Spire' variety naturally forms a sparsely branched bush with an erect habit. Its long, flexible, and woody climbing stems tend to arch over time. To promote denser growth and maintain an attractive habit, it is necessary to prune the bush quite short, once a year. This variety will quickly reach an average height of 1.50m (4 ft 11 in) and a spread of 1.50m (4 ft 11 in). It can even exceed this height under optimal conditions. Its rather large leaves, ranging from 3.5 to 8 cm (1.4 to 3.1 in) in length, are rounded, leathery, alternate, with irregularly toothed margins, and shiny dark green. They are slightly aromatic and have a succulent appearance. The flowering period occurs from June to September, earlier or later depending on the climate, lasting at least two months. At the tip of each branch, clusters of 3 to 10 cm (1.2 to 3.9 in) long tubular bell-shaped flowers appear, measuring up to 2.5 cm (1 in). They have a thick, waxy, shiny texture and are a deep pink to almost red,  enclosed at the base in a purple-violet calyx.

The 'Crimson Fire' Escallonia is an excellent evergreen bush that only dislikes excessively chalky soils, icy winds, and cold winters. Well-known to gardeners in Brittany, Ireland, and England, it also thrives in Mediterranean climates after careful planting and regular watering during the first two or three years. In a hedge, it is a great alternative to conifers due to its long-lasting flowering, decorative evergreen foliage, and natural resistance to diseases and pests. It can be combined with many other bushes (ceanothus, chalef, bay laurel, olearias, or even eucalyptus in interplantings), thus promoting biodiversity in the garden. It is essential in coastal gardens, as its flowering, along with that of olearias, brightens the foliage of atriplex, Bupleurum fruticosum, or Correa alba rosea. In a large border, it can be paired with cistus, lavender, Hebe, or early-flowering shrubs such as lilacs, Kolkwitzia amabilis, Cassia, Leptospermum, or deutzias.