AUCUBA jap. Crotonifolia G

Aucuba japonica Crotonifolia is a robust, evergreen shrub prized for its large, glossy leaves boldly splashed with yellow, bringing reliable year-round colour to shaded parts of Irish gardens. Small purple flowers appear in spring; being a female cultivar, it can produce showy red berries in autumn and winter if a male aucuba is nearby for pollination. Exceptionally tolerant of shade (including dry shade once established) yet also capable in sun, it thrives in most soils, copes well in coastal locations, and forms a handsome background shrub or informal hedge, maturing to a substantial size over time.

To help give a clear sense of scale, the stone wall shown in our photos measures approximately 265cm in height. We also use familiar garden tools as visual references: a digging fork (110cm tall) and a hand fork (30cm tall). These are included purely as size guides to help you better judge proportions when viewing the images.

Position: Sun, light or deep shade Rate of Growth: Moderate Soil: Most soils; prefers moderately fertile, well-drained conditions; tolerates clay, chalk and sand Hardiness: Fully hardy Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Plant at a Glance

light:sun
light:light-shade
light:shade
facing:east
facing:west
facing:north
facing:south
soiltype:moderate-fertile
soiltype:light-sandy
soiltype:heavy-clay
soiltype:chalky
soiltype:acid
soilmoisture:normal
foliage:evergreen
flowering:april
flowercolour:purple
leafcolour:variegated
size:2m-5m
specialconditions:dry-shade
specialconditions:coastal-conditions