Description:

An interesting evergreen shrub that solves the problem of the most shaded garden areas; female plants produce berries; ideal as a dense screen; drought tolerant once established; has shown to be more winter hardy than the species

Ornamental Features

Northern Japanese Aucuba is primarily grown for its highly ornamental fruit. It features an abundance of magnificent red berries from mid fall to late winter. It has attractive dark green evergreen foliage. The small glossy pointy leaves are highly ornamental and remain dark green throughout the winter.

Landscape Attributes

Northern Japanese Aucuba is a dense multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a more or less rounded form. 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.

Northern Japanese Aucuba is recommended for the following landscape applications;

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

Planting & Growing

Northern Japanese Aucuba will grow to be about 6 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 6 feet. It has a low canopy, and is suitable for planting under power lines. 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.