About Escallonia bifida Link & Otto
Escallonia bifida, commonly known as the cloven gum box, is an evergreen shrub or small tree belonging to the family Escalloniaceae. It is native to Brazil and Uruguay. This plant can reach up to 4 m (13 ft) in height and 2.5 m (8.2 ft) in spread, with dark green, shiny leaves that measure 2 to 7 cm long and 0.8 to 2 cm wide. Its pure white flowers, which are initially tubular and then open out, bloom in summer. It is sparingly naturalised in New South Wales, Australia. In cultivation, it grows well in mild coastal regions of the UK; it is hardy down to −5 °C (23 °F), and its dense growth habit makes it suitable for tall hedging. In colder regions, it needs the shelter of a wall to grow. It has been awarded the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. The Latin specific epithet bifida translates to "cleft in two".
