Growing Aucuba Japonica

Botanical Name:

Aucuba Japonica

Life Cycle:

perennial flowering shrub

Planting Time:

spring

Height:

up to 10'

Exposure:

shade

Soil:

rich, moist, well-drained soil

Hardiness:

zones 7-9

Bloom Time:

late winter or very early spring

Flower:

blue or purple; when a male plant is present nearby, female plants produce clusters of bright red berries in the fall

Foliage:

evergreen shrub with shiny green leaves (sometimes with yellow or white markings)

Propagation:

cuttings

Suggested Use:

foundation plantings, shrubs, accents, seaside gardens, patios or containers

Growing Hints:

Start with purchased plants or rooted cuttings taken from a mature plant in late winter. Shrub grows into a tidy 5' round bush in about 4 years and reaches its full height in approximately 10 years. Care should be taken to avoid digging near its shallow roots. The Japanese Acuba is very pollution and drought tolerant making it a good choice for seaside landscaping. Fertilizing in spring will encourage berry production.

Interesting Facts:

Too much sun will cause leaves to become sunburned. On the other hand, too much shade will cause varieties with variegated leaves to lose their color.

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Aucuba are grown for their bold foliage, autumn fruit, and adaptability to shade, dry soil, pollution, and coastal conditions. A. japonica is a rounded, evergreen shrub with small, reddish purple flowers in spring, and red berries (on female plants) in fall. It grows to about 10 feet tall and wide. 'Crotonifolia' has leaves that look like they were speckled with yellow paint. 'Gold Dust' is female with heavy yellow speckling. 'Mr. Goldstrike' is male, more upright, and has gold-splashed leaves. Use as a hedge or specimen, in a container outdoors, or as an imposing houseplant.

Noteworthy characteristics: Very adaptable; glossy, bold foliage; red berries on female plants. Many named cultivars are female and thus bear autumn fruit.

Care: This plant is tolerant of full shade, dry soil, pollution, and salt winds. It's adaptable to almost any soil, except waterlogged soil. Use it in full sun to part-shade, or in full shade in hot summer areas. Protect from winter sun and wind at lower zones. Trim or cut back in spring.

Propagation: Root semi-ripe cuttings in summer. Sow seed in containers in a cold frame in autumn.
Problems: Wet root rot, Southern blight, fungal leaf spots.
Salt will kill most plants, good luck.