Aucuba

Aucuba japonica
A bushy, large, evergreen shrub, reaching around 10 feet, that is native to forests in southern Zhejiang Province in China, Korea, Taiwan and most of Japan. Under ideal conditions, it can sometimes become a small tree, reaching a maximum size of 30 x 20 feet with great age. Some records include: fastest growth rate - 3 feet.
The toothed, oval leaves are up to 12 x 5 inches in size. The leathery foliage is glossy deep green.
The tiny, greenish-purple flowers are borne in clusters, up to 3 inches across, during mid-spring.
They are followed by oval, scarlet-red berries, up to 0.8 x 0.3 inches in size, during autumn, persisting into winter.
Hardy zones 6 to 10 ( becomes deciduous at around -5 F ) in sun or shade on any moderately fertile, well drained soil. While they tolerate pollution, dry shade, alkaline and acidic soil but are not salt tolerant. Aucuba's look especially spectacular planted under large Purple Beech and even thrive with the deep shade and intense root competition. They are very easy to grow and are virtually immune to insect pests and disease. In areas where deer are abundant, the Aucuba may need to be grown in a fenced in area or protected with netting during winter. Though pruning is not needed they can be cut back hard during early spring shortly before growth begins.
Propagation is from semi-ripe cuttings taken during summer.

* photo taken @ U.S. National Arboretum on Feb 2009

* photo taken on May 8 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum, D.C.

* photo taken on May 8 2010 @ McCrillis Garden, Bethesda, MD


* photo taken on annual Horticultural Society of Maryland Garden Tour

* photos taken on 4th of July 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum, D.C.

* photo taken on June 23 2013 @ U.S. National Arboretum, Washington, DC

* photo taken on Feb 3 2015 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Nov 17 2015 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Dec 6 2015 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on June 23 2016 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on May 21 2017 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Sep 22 2019 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Apr 13 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Jan 24 2021 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Mar 16 2022 in Columbia, MD

'Borealis'
A slow growing, dwarf Aucuba reaching a maximum size of 4 x 4 ( rarely exceeding 2 ) feet, that is native to cool, moist coniferous forests in the snow belt region of the mountains of Hokkaido and western Honshu islands of Japan.
The nearly smooth-edged, lance-shape leaves are up to 5 x 3 ( rarely over 2.5 ) inches in size. The foliage is very glossy polished blue-green.
The very abundant, scarlet-red berries contrasts well with the foliage.
Hardy north to 5b on protected sites.

* photo taken on June 23 2013 @ U.S. National Arboretum, Washington, DC

* photos taken on Sep 26 2018 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on May 18 2020 in Columbia, MD

'Crotonifolia'
Bushy and rounded in habit; the large, oval leaves on this Aucuba are glossy deep green and boldly splashed with golden yellow.

* photo taken on May 8 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum, D.C.





* photo taken on 4th of July 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum, D.C.


* photos taken on July 9 2015 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Oct 20 2022 in Columbia, MD

'Gold Dust' ( Gold Dust Aucuba )
With few or no berries; this Aucuba has glossy dark green leaves heavily speckled with intense gold.
Best in part shade or shade; in full sun it can easily scorch.

* photos taken @ U.S. National Arboretum on Feb 2009







* photo taken in Bethesda, Maryland

* photo taken from 2005 installed landscape I designed in Clarksville, MD

* photo taken in Columbia, MD on Feb 2010













* photo taken on Feb 2012 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on April 18 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum

* photos taken on April 16 2012 in Columbia, MD




* photo taken on July 10 2013 in Ellicott City, MD

* photos taken on May 7 2014 @ London Town Gardens, Edgewater, MD

* photo taken on Nov 17 2015 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Dec 28 2015 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Mar 1 2016 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Nov 19 2016 @ London Town Gardens, Edgewater, MD

* photo taken on May 4 2017 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on July 25 2017 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Nov 5 2017 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Oct 2 2018 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on July 21 2019 @ London Town Gardens, Edgewater, MD

* photo taken on July 21 2019 in Annapolis, MD

* photo taken on May 3 2019 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Feb 21 2020 in Ellicott City, MD

* photos taken on Mar 30 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on May 4 2021 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Aug 2 2021 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Dec 15 2021 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Mar 10 2022 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on May 8 2022 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on June 12 2022 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Sep 5 2022 in Columbia, MD

'Limbeta'
A female form producing red berries and stunning golden-yellow margined foliage. It is slow growing and reaches a maximum height of 5 feet.

* photo taken on May 8 2010 @ McCrillis Garden, Bethesda, MD



'Macrophylla'
Broad leaves are glossy deep green.

'Meigetsu'

* photo taken on May 8 2010 @ McCrillis Garden, Bethesda, MD




* photo taken on May 4 2013 in Monkton, MD

'Mr Goldstrike'
A male form that is similar to 'Gold Dust' but with foliage even more spectacularly splashed in yellow. The leaves are up to 10 x 5 inches in size on vigorous shoots.
It is slower growing, reaching no more than 6 x 6 feet. Some record include: fastest growth rate - 3 feet.

* photo taken on Apr 26 2012 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on June 28 2015 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on July 9 2015 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Sep 17 2015 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Sep 19 2015 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on June 14 2016 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Dec 12 2016 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Feb 26 2017 in Catonsville, MD

* photo taken on Apr 6 2017 in Catonsville, MD

* photo taken on July 25 2017 in Columbia, MD

* Mr Goldstrike on left, Gold Dust Aucuba on right

* photo taken on Aug 21 2017 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Nov 5 2017 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Sep 7 2018 in Catonsville, MD

* photo taken on Oct 29 2018 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Mar 19 2019 in Catonsville, MD

* photos taken on May 1 2019 in Catonsville, MD

* photo taken on June 13 2019 in Catonsville, MD

* photo taken on Sep 29 2019 in Catonsville, MD

* photos taken on June 15 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on May 2 2021 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on May 22 2021 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on June 30 2021 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Oct 22 2021 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on June 13 2022 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Mar 3 2024 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on May 7 2024 in Columbia, MD

'Natsu-no-Kumo'
A moderate growing, rounded shrub, up to 6 feet in height.
The stunning, creamy-white new foliage contrasts with the deep green older foliage giving a poinsettia-like appearance. The elliptical leaves are up to 7 x 2.3 inches in size.

'Picturata'
Foliage boldly splashed yellow in the center, otherwise similar.

* photo taken on Apr 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum, DC

* photos taken on July 10 2013 in Howard Co., MD

* photos taken on May 14 2016 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Apr 27 2017 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Sep 26 2019 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Oct 11 2019 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Jan 15 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on May 18 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on June 1 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Sep 24 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Oct 22 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on May 17 2021 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Sep 2 2021 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Aug 1 2022 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on May 7 2024 in Columbia, MD

'Rozannie'
Compact in habit, reaching up to 4 x 4 feet in 10 years, eventually up to 4.5 x 6 feet.
The very glossy foliage is bright green at first, later turning to deep green. The leaves are up to 5 x 2 inches in size
It is reported to set fruit without a pollinator.
Hardy zones 6 to 9

* photo taken on Apr 2018 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on June 5 2018 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Oct 29 2018 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Dec 28 2018 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Jan 15 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Mar 16 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on May 7 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on June 14 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Aug 27 2020 in Columbia, MD

'Salicifolia' ( Narrowleaf Aucuba )
With red berries during fall and winter; this female cultivar has vivid lush deep green leaves that are narrow and pointed.

* photos taken on Feb 2009 @ U.S. National Arboretum, DC



* photo taken on Oct 30 2014 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Oct 21 @ Smithsonian Inst., Wash., DC

'Variegata'

* photo taken on April 18 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum


Aucuba chinensis ( Chinese Aucuba )
Similar but larger growing ( reaching up to 27 feet or very rarely 40 feet ) and is native to forests at low elevations in southern China and Taiwan as well as Burma and northern Vietnam.
The thick leathery foliage is matte-green rather than glossy above, bright green beneath. The elliptical leaves are up to 10 x 3 inches in size.
It is less hardy, zones 8 to 10 only.

Aucuba omeiensis
It may only be a subspecies of Aucuba chinensis. A rare large shrub, reaching around 15 x 10 feet, that is native to central China.
The very large, thick, leatehry, deeply-cut, broadly-elliptical leaves, up to 12 inches in length, are bright green at first, turning to dull grayish-green.
The red fruit are up to 0.8 inches in length.
Hardy zones 8 to 10 ( tolerating 4 F ) in shade. Tolerates deep shade.