The glorious foliage of Aucuba japonica

Many factors go into choosing which plants we use in our landscapes.  For most of us, the primary concern is the aesthetic value of the plant – how it looks in our yards.  We all have different tastes, so we may value plants differently in this way, but I imagine appearance is at or near the top of almost everyone’s list when choosing plants.  We may also factor in things like the smell or feel of a plant, its country of origin, or its relative ease of care.

Some gardeners may, at least on occasion, make plant selections based not only on how well a plant performs inside the garden, but also outside of the garden.  I’m thinking of Aucuba japonica, the Japanese Aucuba, which is not only a stalwart of gardens used in foundation plantings and other landscape settings, but also a plant prized for its foliage in flower arrangements, centerpieces, wreaths, and other types of indoor decoration.

Aucuba Japonica is a mid-sized evergreen shrub that does very well in partial to full shade.  Various resources will tell you it can grow to 6-10 feet tall and 4-6 feet wide, though I can’t remember ever seeing one that large.  They are often used as foundation plants or as low screens or hedges, and may be pruned either by the gardener who cares for it or by grazing deer who also seem to love it.  Leaves may be solid green, as long as 6-8 inches, with a glossy finish and somewhat leathery feel. However, leaves are often variegated, with yellow spots and streaks.

Left: Aucuba variegata, also known as ‘Gold Dust Aucuba,’ the most common cultivar, features green leaves that are spotted with striking yellow blotches. Lower left: The central part of each leaf of ‘Sulphurea marginata’ is green, while the rest of the leaf is golden yellow. Photo: L. Enking, CC-BY-SA 2.0 Lower right: The newest leaves of the Picturata cultivar emerge with a wide yellow streak through the middle between dark green leave margins.

The cultivar known as ‘Variegata,’ often referred to as Gold Dust Aucuba, features leaves that are dazzlingly spotted with blotches of yellow. While this is the most popular Aucuba cultivar, it is not the only one, and each differs in its foliar display.  Mature leaves of ‘Picturata’ resemble Gold Dust, but newest leaves emerge with a wide yellow streak through the middle between dark green leave margins.  ‘Sulphurea Marginata’ does the opposite. The center part of each leaf is a slender streak of green, but the rest of the leaf is golden yellow.  Even the cultivars with solid green leaves, like ‘Nana,’ a dwarf, compact Aucuba, and ‘Pacman,’ another smaller cultivar that also has contorted leaves, are attractive, as the foliage stands out amidst other shrubs with smaller, duller, or more traditionally shaped leaves. 

Aucuba is easy to grow in the right spots. It likes moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soils in partial to full shade.  It can have some problems with pests like scale, or deer, and it can suffer from root rot if soil drainage is poor.  Its prized foliage can also burn if grown in full sun, so protection is important. Its insignificant spring flowers usually go unnoticed, and female plants do produce a modest display of red berries in fall and winter, but its glorious foliage is undoubtedly the main reason for growing Aucuba.

Matthew Stevens is the County Extension Director and Horticulture Agent for North Carolina Cooperative Extension’s Pitt County Center.  If you have questions about this article or gardening in general, please contact the Pitt County Extension Master Gardeners at [email protected] or 252-902-1705.