Other Names:  Japanese Aucuba, Japanese Laurel

Description:

This stunning evergreen brightens up the most shaded of gardens; deep dark green foliage with vivid yellow variegation; ideal as a dense hedge; drought tolerant once established; protect from cold winter winds; a male clone that does not produce fruit

Ornamental Features

Suruga Benten Aucuba has attractive yellow-variegated dark green foliage with hints of buttery yellow which emerges yellow in spring on a plant with an upright spreading habit of growth. The glossy pointy leaves are highly ornamental and remain dark green throughout the winter. It features dainty panicles of deep purple flowers at the ends of the branches in early spring.

Landscape Attributes

Suruga Benten Aucuba is a dense multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and can be pruned at anytime. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Suruga Benten Aucuba is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Mass Planting
• Hedges/Screening
• General Garden Use

Planting & Growing

Suruga Benten Aucuba will grow to be about 4 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 4 feet. It has a low canopy. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 20 years.

This shrub does best in partial shade to shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.