Aucuba Japonica Variegata

27.06.2023 - 08:42 / aberdeengardening.co.uk

Aucuba Japonica Variegata also known as the spotted Laurel will just about grow in any position in the garden.

We have always been a fan of the Aucuba.  The fondness for this one started many years ago when we had our first house with a garden. Directly underneath the kitchen window was a fully north facing border, virtually couldn’t get a thing to grow in this spot. That was until we tried the Aucuba and hey presto that’s where it remained until we moved sixteen years later, well you never know its maybe still there.

If in your garden there is a position where you find virtually nothing grows, perhaps it may be in full shade, or the soil may be very poor and dry. Whatever the reason don’t despair, the spotted Laurel is just what you are looking for.

The large leaves of this evergreen shrub are splashed with pale yellow. The purple flowers in April/May are rather insignificant, however once established clusters of large red berries can appear from mid Summer right through till late Winter , if the plant happens to be in the mood that is and of course as long as you have a male and female plant, ask at the nursery for guidance regarding this.

We had one particular year when the largest one in the round garden was smothered with berries, never been quite so abundant again. I suspect that the reason for this urge to berry was due to the fact that several months before, I set fire to a wasps nest (byke) that had formed very near to this Aucuba and did indeed cause considerable damage to it.

It can take a couple of years for the growth to really get going, encourage this by pruning back straggly stems, the one above looks like its in need of a little attention..

The one position where Aucuba may start to look a bit