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Shrubs

Aucuba omeiensis

Mount Omei laurel

A tall, upright, evergreen shrub with smooth, thick green stems and large, leathery, coarsley toothed dark green foliage; pale green on the undersides. Male flowers are green, yellow or purple-red and female yellow and held on shorter panicles, appearing in the spring. Cylinder-shaped fruits ripen to dark red the following winter. You can remove the lower stems to create a small, more tree-like form. A great choice for a lush planting scheme in a shady courtyard or conservatory

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Ultimate height

2.5–4 metres

Time to ultimate height

10–20 years

Ultimate spread

2.5–4 metres

Loam

Sand

Chalk

Moisture

Moist but well–drained, Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full shade
Partial shade

Aspect

North–facing or East–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Exposed or Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Garryaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Bushy
Potentially harmful: Fruit is ornamental - not to be eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling Pets: Fruit is ornamental - not to be eaten - see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants for further information and useful contact numbers
Genus: Aucuba are dioecious evergreen shrubs with simple, leathery leaves, attractively variegated in many cultivars, and small purple flowers followed on female plants by large glossy red fruit
Name status: Correct
Plant range: China, Taiwan

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in a shady location in fertile, moist but well drained soil. Will grow well in all but waterlogged soils

Propagation

Propagate from semi-ripe cuttings

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Cottage and informal garden
Coastal
Patio and container plants
Low Maintenance
Banks and slopes
Hedging and screens
Conservatory and greenhouse

Pruning

Pruning group 1

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

May be susceptible to honey fungus

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