Escallonia Iveyi

Escallonia Iveyi

Escallonia Iveyi or White Flowering Escallonia is an upright evergreen variety of Escallonia with white fragrant flowers. It’s a great hedging choice that’s been given the RHS Award of Garden Merit and the Perfect for Pollinators title.

Escallonia Iveyi produces large dark green glossy leaves that grow thickly. In July through to September, sometimes earlier or later if the weather is mild, Escallonia is smothered in bright pure white flowers that attract all essential garden pollinators. The blooms are bell-shaped, abundant and produce a glorious sweet scent. Escallonia plants are perfect hedging shrubs, but only Escallonia Iveyi boasts clusters of pure white flowers throughout the summer. During winter the evergreen leaves can develop an attractive bronze tint. Escallonia Iveyi is a fast-growing hedging shrub best suited for larger areas as is it will reach three by three metres if left unchecked. 

Escallonia Iveyi Hardiness Levels
Escallonia Iveyi is hardy across the UK and whilst it will need some pruning to control side shoots, it is very easy to care for tolerating dry spots, all soils and coastal areas once established. 

How To Use Escallonia Iveyi
Escallonia Iveyi is ideal for wildlife-friendly hedging. It produces a tight, thickly leaved hedge within a few years. It also provides structure at the back of a border. It is an excellent flowering evergreen for windy coastal areas.  Due to its thick habit Escallonia Iveyi can also be grown as a privacy screen or as a wind or noise protection barrier. If you find your tender perennials or vegetables suffer wind damage, try placing a few Escallonia Iveyi against prevailing winds. This technique also shelters and fragrances an outside seating area. It’s possible to mask sheds and other unsightly areas with a few well positioned Escallonia too. Plant individual specimens a foot or more apart for a rapidly growing screen. You can also grow Escallonia Iveyias as a specimen plant, pruning it back each year to maintain the desired shape.

How To Care For Escallonia Iveyi
Escallonia Iveyi prefers a sunny site with fertile, well-drained soil but it will grow in virtually all soils and areas. Young plants will need mulching, watering and protection from severe frosts in their first year  until firmly established.
Before planting your Escallonia Iveyi, soak the roots in a bucket of water overnight. Then, dig a hole twice the size of the rootball and line it with a well rotted mulch. Stake the leader stem if the area is particular gusty. 
Deadheading blooms can prolong the flowering season, but it is not necessary. Cut back any unnecessary shoots in spring to maintain a good shape. 

Escallonia Iveyi is the perfect hedging plant and practical solution for problem areas. The fragrant flowers provide food for pollinators and the thick bush creates habitats for nesting birds. If you are looking for a vigorous privacy screen or a noise and wind barrier you will find it hard to better an Escallonia.
Consider Escallonia as part of a mixed evergreen hedge using differing shades and textures of green foliage - combine with native Yew hedging, Japanese Holly hedging and / or Griselinia.