Escallonia rubra Red Tower - Redclaws

Escallonia RED TOWER ‘Lisstowd’ is an evergreen shrub distinguished by its narrow, upright habit and its generous red flowering in early summer. Its erect twigs form a small column of lustrous greenery, easily tucked into a slightly confined spot. Very floriferous in sun, appreciating mild winters and well-drained soils, this variety naturally finds a place in coastal gardens. It can be used to create colourful low hedges and shrub borders. Its dense, evergreen foliage decorates the garden or terrace in all seasons.

Botanically, escallonia belongs to the Escalloniaceae family. The species at the origin of the 'Red Tower' variety is likely Escallonia rubra, or red escallonia, native to the temperate zones of South America, especially Chile and Argentina, along the Andes Cordillera.
Escallonia RED TOWER ‘Lisstowd’ is a horticultural cultivar selected in the United Kingdom by Peter Catt of Liss Forest Nursery, chosen for its very narrow habit and its deep red flowering. This shrub of medium to fast growth forms a narrow mass at its base within a few years, widening at its top, reaching 1 to 1.50 m in height and 1 to 1.50 m in width, depending on the soil and pruning. Its almost upright twigs branch finely and remain well furnished. The evergreen foliage is composed of small, thick, ovate, finely toothed leaves of a lustrous dark green, tightly packed along the stems. From late May to July, sometimes a little longer, terminal clusters of small, tubular, bright red flowers cover the ends of the shoots. These flowers stand out well against the dark foliage. The root system is quite shallow but non-suckering. Its hardiness is rated at –8/–10 °C in well-drained soil and a sheltered position.

Escallonia 'Red Tower' easily finds its place in small gardens, where it structures a border without taking up too much space. It can be planted in a low hedge, alone or with Mexican orange blossom Choisya ternata and other escallonias like 'Apple Blossom', with small pink and white flowers, and ‘Red Elf’, bright red and wider. In a coastal garden, it pairs well with bottlebrushes and Leptospermum. In colder climates, plant it in a large container near a sheltered wall, and bring it into a bright, cool room in winter.