Variegated Aucuba

Why Aucuba is a Great Holiday Plant

Plants and holidays go together – they are always a great gift that keeps on giving, whether for family, friends, or for yourself (you need a holiday gift too!) Aucuba was once called ‘Gold Plant’, for the bright gold splashes on its leaves, and what is better than gold for the best holiday of all? All of us know, among our friends and family, someone who struggles to keep plants alive, someone whose garden is dark, shady and difficult, or both. Perhaps it’s a townhouse, or perhaps they just have a balcony. Aucuba is perfect for that person, because it is probably the toughest garden plant around, and it grows and even thrives where so many plants fail – in that deep shade beneath trees, in poor, dry soil. Its big, gold-splashed evergreen leaves brighten the darkest corner, and its rounded form hides ugly walls and old fences.

It can be grown in pots and planters too, and it won’t die the minute someone forgets to water it. It even makes a great houseplant for cool, dark rooms, and it’s terrific for a cold, glassed-in porch – talk about versatile! Whoever gets this plant will know you love them, because it isn’t one of those challenging plants. No, it really is a gift – to receive and to grow.

What is Aucuba Like?

Aucuba (Aucuba japonica ‘Variegata’) is a rounded evergreen bush with large leaves. It will grow at a steady pace, adding up to a foot a year, to become 4 to 6 feet tall. As it matures it fills out, and slowly reaches around 10 feet tall and wide – the perfect size for filling blank and ugly corners. Its big feature is the leaves – attractive all year round and up to 8 inches long. These leathery and glossy leaves are not boring green, instead they are splashed and daubed with irregular patches of golden yellow. Many are small, but some are up to an inch or more across. Older plants may also produce the surprise of bright red berries in early fall. But, really, it is those colorful leaves that are the big deal, and they really lighten up any garden.

How Do You Grow Aucuba?

This great bush is hardy in all the warmer zones, from 7 to 9, and even in sheltered spots in zone 6. It can be grown anywhere indoors or in a glassed-in porch. It grows in all light conditions, and it is THE top pick for that super-dark spot where nothing will grow. Beneath evergreen trees, in dry, poor soil, it will grow like this is the best possible spot a plant could be in. Pests and diseases never seem to bother it, and it can be trimmed in late winter or early spring if it is getting too large.

Buying Aucuba from the Tree Center

Every gardener you know has difficult dark spots to plant in, and nothing beats Aucuba for filling those spots. We have some great plants ready to go, and we will ship them anywhere you want. Solve your holiday gift problems and please all your gardening friends, but our stock is limited, so order right now – and relax, we’ll take care of the rest.