Aucuba japonica 'Picturata'
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- aw-KEW-ba juh-PON-ih-kuh
- Description
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Evergreen, dense and rounded shrub. 'Picturata' is a cultivar that has yellow running in the center of the leaves with speckles of yellow along the green margins. It does tend to grown back to solid green leaves, so simply remove any of those stems promptly to encourage the growth of the variegated leaves. It can be grown as a houseplant in a cool room.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Indoor plants may suffer from spider mites. Outdoor plants occasionally suffer from scale, nematodes, and mealybugs. Fungal leaf spot, southern blight sometimes occur, Heavy or overly moist soils cause root rot. Foliage is susceptible to windburn or sun-scald so plant in a protected area.
Quick ID Hints:
- Large, central yellow blotch in most leaves
- Leaves glossy, coriaceous, elliptic and OPPOSITE
Flowers in early spring; foliage glossy and green with large central yellow blotch in middle and surrounded by smaller yellow flecks; reverts to all-green during normal leaf senescence; year-round interest; used as a potted plant in the North.
Shade-tolerant; slow growth; needs organic soil; pest problems.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Aucuba
- Species:
- japonica
- Family:
- Garryaceae
- Dimensions:
- Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Maintenance:
- Low
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Available Space To Plant:
- 3 feet-6 feet
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 7b, 7a, 8b, 8a, 9b, 9a
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Spring
- Winter
- Fruit Type:
- Drupe
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Red berry-like ellipsoid drupe 1/2" long and wide. They ripen in the fall and often remain on the plant until spring.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Cyme
- Panicle
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Cross
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Purple-maroon 4-petals 4-sepals cross-shaped with white anthers bloom in early spring. Not particularly showy and tiny. Dioecious (male and female flowers on separate plants) with the male flowers in terminal cymes or panicles 4 1/2” long. Female flowers are shorter and appear in leaf axils. Axillary cymose panicle, to 1 1/2-2 3/4".
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Gray/Silver
- Variegated
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Lanceolate
- Ovate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Description:
- Opposite, simple, elliptic-ovate to elliptic-lanceolate, dentate, dark green, centrally blotched with gold.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Succulent, green, glabrous and waxy, shield-shaped leaf scars connected by transverse stipular scar.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Houseplants
- Patio
- Landscape Theme:
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Hedge
- Screen/Privacy
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Heavy Shade
- Pollution
