| Scientific Name: | Aucuba japonica |
| Common Name: | Japanese aucuba, Japanese laurel |
| Family Name: | Garryaceae |
| Origin: | S.E. Asia / Japan / China |
| Hardiness Zone: | Zone 7: (-18 to -12 °C) |
| Plant Type: | Broadleaf evergreen |
| Mature Size: | 2 - 3m x 2 - 3m (height x width) |
| Habit: | Dense, Stiffly upright |
| Form: | Round |
| Texture: | Medium - coarse |
| Landscape Uses: | Accent plant, Mixed shrub border, Screening, Specimen plant, Winter interest |
| Exposure: | Part sun/part shade, Filtered shade, Deep shade |
| Soil or Media: | Acidic, Humus rich, Well-drained |
| Leaves: | Simple, Opposite, Leathery, Pinnate venation, Glabrous, Lustrous, Elliptic, Ovate, Dentate |
| Flowers: | Cyme, Purple, Dark-red, Apr-May |
| Fruit: | Drupe, Red, Jun-Jul, (Persistent) |
| Key ID Features: | |
| Rounded evergreen shrub 2-3m tall with prominent lenticels; leaves opposite, most blades ovate to elliptic, 10-20cm long x 5-10cm wide, entire - at least towards the base, apex half of blade commonly coarsely dentate, glossy, dark green (common cultivars green with yellow specks like splattered paint), petioles 2-4cm long; male flowers with 4 dark red to purple petals and yellow stamens, about 5-9mm wide, upright terminal clusters; female flowers axillary; drupes bright red, oval to ellipsoid, about 1.5cm long, persistent until spring (requires a male plant nearby). | |