Escallonia Pride of Donard Escallonia 'Pride of Donard'

👤 Non-toxic to humans

🐾 Non-toxic to pets

🌸 Blooming

🍪 Not edible

‍🌱 Easy-care

ABOUT

The Escallonia 'Pride of Donard' is an attractive evergreen shrub known for its dense and glossy green foliage which provides a perfect backdrop for its floral display. The leaves are small, oval-shaped and slightly serrated at the edges, giving a textured look to the shrub throughout the year. Blossoming prolifically in the summer, this plant boasts clusters of trumpet-shaped flowers. The flowers are vibrant, typically showcasing a striking shade of pink with a slightly paler throat, which can add a splash of color to any garden. The blossoms are rich in nectar, often attracting bees and butterflies, creating a lively and dynamic environment. Overall, 'Pride of Donard' presents a lush and vibrant appearance with its combination of bright green foliage and eye-catching pink flowers, making it a favored choice for gardeners seeking to add long-lasting color and interest to their landscapes.

Plant Info

Care

Common Problems

About this plant

Names
- Synonyms
  Pride of Donard Escallonia, Donard Seedling
- Common names
  Escallonia 'Pride of Donard'.
Toxicity
- To humans
  Escallonia 'Pride of Donard' is not commonly listed as a toxic plant to humans. There is limited information on its toxicity, and it is not generally known to cause poisoning when touched or ingested. However, as with any plant, individual allergies or sensitivities can occur, and it is advisable to avoid ingesting plant material that is not specifically meant for consumption. If ingested, watch for any adverse reactions and seek medical advice if symptoms appear.
- To pets
  Escallonia 'Pride of Donard' is also not commonly listed as a toxic plant to pets. Similar to its effects on humans, there is no widespread documentation of toxicity to animals such as dogs and cats. It is not considered to be a plant that typically causes poisoning in pets. Nevertheless, to prevent possible stomach upset or an unexpected allergic reaction, it is best to prevent pets from ingesting this or any ornamental plant. If you suspect your pet has consumed part of this plant and is showing symptoms of illness, consult your veterinarian.
Characteristics
- Life cycle
  Perennials
- Foliage type
  Evergreen
- Color of leaves
  Green
- Flower color
  Pink
- Height
  6-8 feet (1.8-2.4 meters)
- Spread
  6-8 feet (1.8-2.4 meters)
- Plant type
  Shrub
- Hardiness zones
  7
- Native area
  South America

Benefits

General Benefits
- Attractive Flowers: The Escallonia 'Pride of Donard' produces abundant pink flowers that are aesthetically pleasing and can enhance the beauty of any garden or landscape.
- Drought Tolerance: Once established, this plant is quite drought-resistant, making it suitable for areas with water restrictions or xeriscaping.
- Wildlife Attraction: The flowers attract pollinators such as bees and butterflies, which are beneficial for the pollination of gardens and the ecosystem.
- Erosion Control: With its dense and bushy growth habit, it can help prevent soil erosion on slopes and banks.
- Low Maintenance: Escallonia 'Pride of Donard' is known for being low maintenance, requiring minimal care once it's established in the appropriate climate and soil conditions.
- Evergreen Foliage: It retains its glossy, dark green leaves throughout the year, ensuring year-round interest and structure in the garden.
- Wind Resistance: This plant can tolerate and even benefit from coastal conditions, as it is resistant to wind and salt spray.
- Hedging and Screening: It can be used effectively for hedging or screening due to its dense growth, providing privacy and shelter for garden spaces.
- Versatility: It can be planted in a variety of garden styles, including formal, cottage, and coastal gardens.
Medical Properties
This plant is not used for medical purposes.
Air-purifying Qualities
This plant is not specifically known for air purifying qualities.
Other Uses
- As a natural dye: The flowers of the Escallonia can be used to produce a range of natural dyes for fabric, although it's not a commonly known use.
- Sound barrier: Due to its dense foliage, Escallonia can be planted in rows to muffle noise from roads or neighbors.
- Windbreak: In coastal regions, the shrub can be used to reduce wind speeds in gardens and protects other plants.
- Privacy screening: With its thick growth habit, Escallonia can be used to create living screens that add privacy to outdoor spaces.
- Erosion control: The root system of Escallonia can help stabilize slopes and prevent soil erosion in hilly terrains.
- Topiary plant: The Escallonia can be shaped and trimmed into formal topiary forms for decorative purposes in gardens.
- Insect habitat: The dense branches and foliage can provide shelter for beneficial insects.
- Festive decoration: Its bright flowers and evergreen leaves can be used in wreaths and arrangements during festive seasons.
- Photography backdrop: Escallonia's lush appearance and vibrant flowers make it a popular choice for garden and plant photography.
- Children’s garden: The non-toxic nature of Escallonia makes it a suitable plant for children’s play areas where they can interact with nature safely.

Interesting Facts

Feng Shui
Escallonia is not used in Feng Shui practice.
Zodiac Sign Compitability
Escallonia is not used in astrology practice.
Plant Symbolism
- Resilience: Escallonia, being hardy and adaptable, often symbolizes the ability to thrive in challenging conditions.
- Growth: This plant's vigorous growth habit represents personal or spiritual growth.
- Protection: The dense foliage of Escallonia can symbolize shelter or protection from external threats.
- Beauty: The attractive flowers of the Escallonia 'Pride of Donard' signify the appreciation of beauty in all forms.
- Boundary: Often used as hedges, Escallonia can represent setting healthy boundaries in one's life.

💧

Every 1-2 weeks

Water

☀️

2500 - 10000 Lux

Light

💦️

Humidity

🪴

Every 2-3 years

Repotting

🌱️

Spring-Early Summer

Propogation

✂️️

As needed

Pruning

Water
Escallonia 'Pride of Donard', also known as Escallonia, should be watered thoroughly, allowing the soil to dry out slightly between waterings. Generally, providing about 1 gallon of water weekly during the growing season is sufficient, but this can vary based on climate, soil, and weather conditions. In hot, dry periods, more frequent watering may be required. It's important not to let the soil become waterlogged, as Escallonia prefers well-drained conditions.
Light
For Escallonia 'Pride of Donard', the best light conditions are full sun to partial shade. This shrub thrives in a spot that receives at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily, which promotes healthy growth and flowering. Avoid deeply shaded locations, as this can lead to reduced flowering and a leggy growth habit.
Temperature
Escallonia 'Pride of Donard' prefers moderate temperatures and can tolerate a range from about 20°F to 85°F, although it thrives best in temperatures between 65°F and 75°F. It's important to protect the Escallonia from extreme cold or prolonged frost, as temperatures below 20°F can damage the plant.
Pruning
Prune Escallonia 'Pride of Donard' to maintain its shape and to remove any dead or damaged branches. Pruning is best done immediately after flowering to avoid cutting off the next season's blooms. Generally, a light annual pruning is sufficient; however, if rejuvenation is required, it can tolerate harder pruning. The best time to prune is in late winter or early spring before new growth starts.
Cleaning
As needed
Soil
Escallonia 'Pride of Donard', commonly known as Escallonia, thrives in well-draining, fertile soil with a pH ranging from neutral to slightly acidic. The best soil mix can be achieved by combining two parts loam, one part peat, and one part sand or perlite to ensure good drainage and aeration. Regularly adding organic matter will enrich the soil and support healthy growth.
Repotting
Escallonia 'Pride of Donard', commonly known as Escallonia, should be repotted every 2 to 3 years to refresh the soil and encourage continued growth. Young plants may require more frequent repotting, while mature, established shrubs are often repotted less often and may eventually prefer to be left undisturbed if they're planted in the ground.
Humidity & Misting
Escallonia 'Pride of Donard', often known as Escallonia, is adaptable to a wide range of humidity levels and generally does well in the average outdoor humidity found in its growing zones. It does not have specific humidity requirements, so typical garden conditions are usually sufficient.
Suitable locations
- Indoor
  Place in bright, indirect light and avoid dry air.
- Outdoor
  Plant in a sunny to part-shade location; shelter from strong winds.
- Hardiness zone
  7-9 USDA.
Life cycle
Escallonia 'Pride of Donard', commonly known as Escallonia, begins its life cycle as a seed, requiring well-drained soil and enough warmth and light to germinate. Once the seedlings emerge, they grow into young plants with glossy, evergreen leaves and establish a root system. As the plants mature, they enter a vegetative stage, developing a dense, bushy habit, and in their adult stage, they produce clusters of pink to red trumpet-shaped flowers, typically blooming in early summer through to fall. After pollination, often by bees and other insects, the flowers develop into small, dry capsules containing seeds, ending the reproductive phase. The plant then enters a period of dormancy during colder months, reducing growth to conserve energy. When favorable conditions return, Escallonia resumes growth and starts the cycle anew with fresh flower production.
Propogation
- Propogation time
  Spring-Early Summer
- The Escallonia 'Pride of Donard', commonly known simply as Escallonia, is typically propagated through semi-hardwood cuttings. This method is most successful when carried out during late summer, allowing the cuttings to establish roots before the dormancy period of winter. To propagate by cuttings, select healthy, semi-hardwood stems about 4 to 6 inches (approximately 10 to 15 centimeters) long. Strip the leaves from the lower half of the cutting and dip the cut end into a rooting hormone to encourage root growth. Plant the treated cuttings into a well-draining soil mix, ensuring that at least two nodes are buried where leaves were removed. The cuttings should be kept in a warm, humid environment with indirect light until roots have developed, which can be checked by gently tugging on the cuttings after a few weeks to feel for resistance. With proper care and conditions, these cuttings should root successfully, resulting in new plants that can be transplanted to their final locations.