Spotted Laurel Aucuba japonica 'Picturata'

In its native habitat, Spotted Laurel can be found growing in moist woodlands, thickets and along streams.  It is an evergreen, dense and rounded shrub. 'Picturata' is a cultivar that has yellow running in the center of the leaves with speckles of yellow dotting 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.

Quick ID Hints:

• Large, central yellow blotch in most leaves
• Leaves glossy, coriaceous, elliptic and OPPOSITE

Female plants flower in early spring with small purple flowers.  The foliage is glossy and green with a large central yellow blotch in the middle and surrounded by smaller yellow flecks.  The foliage reverts to all-green during its normal leaf senescence.  Boasting year-round interest in the garden, it can also be used as a potted plant in the cooler zones.  

If one plant is good, then two is better.  Especially if one is female and the other is male.  After pollination, the flowers will give way to bright red berries that will ripen in the fall.  The berries can persist until the next spring and are an attraction for the birds in your winter garden.  Although they may look tempting to eat, ingestion by humans can cause stomach upset.

Shade-tolerant with slow growth, the plant does needs organic soil. The flowers bloom on new wood; therefore, pruning, if needed, may be done in late winter and early spring.

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.

More information on Aucuba japonica.