Escallonia laevis Gold Ellen

Escallonia laevis Gold Ellen is a bush with an upright habit, with superb evergreen, yellow-gold foliage spotted with green, it produces rich, carmine-pink flowers in the heart of summer.

A vigorous bush with numerous arched branches, Escallonia laevis Gold Ellen forms a dense bush, with a rounded habit, as tall as it is wide, measuring 2m (6 ft 7 in) to 2.50m at maturity. Its carmine-pink flowers, in the shape of a semi-open tube, bloom from the beginning of summer. Its small, oval, evergreen leaves, measure 3-4cm (1.2-1.6 in) in length and 1 to 2cm (0.4 to 0.8 in) in width, and are yellow-gold spotted with green.

Native to the Andes mountain range, the escallonia is a hardy bush down to -10C°, beyond that, it should be planted in a sheltered area, against a south-facing wall or protected by a hedge to the south or west. It is easy to grow and likes cool, well-drained and rich soils. It can be planted at the back of a flower bed or on a terrace. It is often used as a privacy hedge in temperate regions.

It requires very little maintenance: a simple pruning with shears just after flowering will be necessary to maintain its compact habit, older plants can be pruned harder at the end of winter, when frost is no longer a concern.