Spotted Laurel Aucuba japonica
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Spotted Laurel:
- Phonetic Spelling
- aw-KYOO-bah jah-PON-ih-kah
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Aucuba japonica, family Garryaceae (formerly Cornaceae), commonly called spotted laurel, is a rounded, dense, upright somewhat rounded, shade-loving, evergreen shrub with fantastically variegated leaves. It prefers soils that are high in organic matter and evenly moist in partial to full shade but will tolerate poor soils and urban conditions like air pollution. It typically grows to 6-10' (infrequently to 15') tall, unless pruned shorter.
Plants in this genus are dioecious meaning they have male and female flowers on separate plants. If planted near each other, the female plants producing showy red fruits in the winter providing year-round interest.
It is very easy to transplant or propagate from seed or stem cuttings. It is often grown as a houseplant in temperate climates requiring cool room temperatures of 50-65 degrees F.
Flowers in early spring; foliage glossy; used as a potted plant in the North.
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:
- Leaves glossy, coriaceous, elliptic and OPPOSITE
- Leaves entire or dentate on green stems
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscapes:
- Juniper Level Botanic Gardens Shade Garden Birdbath Nook Rock & Water Garden
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Nana'
Dwarf cultivar is compact, 3' x 3', slow grower; foliage green with dusting of yellow. - 'Pacman'
Aucuba with non-variegated, small, contorted leaves
'Picturata'
- 'Rozzanie'
Red fruits - 'Serratifolia'
- 'Sulphurea Marginata'
Large yellow margined leaves
'Variegata'
A juvenile form of gold dust with leaves bearing a broad yellow medial area; with age leaves look like gold dust.
Shrub with green leaves maculate with golden yellow spots & blotches - 'Nana'
- 'Nana', 'Pacman', 'Picturata', 'Rozzanie', 'Serratifolia', 'Sulphurea Marginata', 'Variegata'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Nana'
Dwarf cultivar is compact, 3' x 3', slow grower; foliage green with dusting of yellow. - 'Pacman'
Aucuba with non-variegated, small, contorted leaves
'Picturata'
- 'Rozzanie'
Red fruits - 'Serratifolia'
- 'Sulphurea Marginata'
Large yellow margined leaves
'Variegata'
A juvenile form of gold dust with leaves bearing a broad yellow medial area; with age leaves look like gold dust.
Shrub with green leaves maculate with golden yellow spots & blotches - 'Nana'
- 'Nana', 'Pacman', 'Picturata', 'Rozzanie', 'Serratifolia', 'Sulphurea Marginata', 'Variegata'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Aucuba
- Species:
- japonica
- Family:
- Garryaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- East Asia and Japan
- Distribution:
- Native to moist woodland areas, thickets, valleys and along streams. Austria, China South-Central, China Southeast, North Carolina, Spain, Washington
- Play Value:
- Buffer
- Screening
- Wind Break
- Dimensions:
- Height: 6 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 4 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Poisonous
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Arching
- Dense
- Erect
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- 3 feet-6 feet
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 7b, 7a, 8b, 8a, 9b, 9a, 10b, 10a
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Long-lasting
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Spring
- Winter
- Fruit Type:
- Drupe
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Red, ellipsoid, one-seeded, berry-like drupes (to 1/2”) which ripen in fall, and provide interest through 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.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Variegated
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Leathery
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Lanceolate
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Dentate
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Medium to dark green leaves elliptic to ovate (8” long) with marginal teeth on the upper half of each leaf, young leaves exposed to the sun will blacken. Opposite, simple, coriaceous, elliptic-ovate to elliptic-lanceolate, entire to dentate along margins.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Cross Section:
- Round
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Fleshy stem that makes propagation easy.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Houseplants
- Patio
- Recreational Play Area
- Landscape Theme:
- Children's Garden
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Shade Garden
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Hedge
- Screen/Privacy
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought
- Heavy Shade
- Pollution
- Salt
