Dave's Garden - Gardening Community

PlantFiles: Gold Dust Plant, Variegated Japanese Aucuba, Japanese Laurel
Aucuba japonica 'Variegata'

 
  Welcome!  
You've found the famous Dave's Garden website! Join this friendly global community that shares tips and ideas for home and gardens, along with seeds and plants!

Check out the DG homepage for a brief overview of what you'll find in this gardening mega-site.

  Login  
If you don't have an account yet, visit the registration page to sign up.

Username:

Password:


Family: Cornaceae
Genus: Aucuba (AWK-yoo-bah) (Info)
Species: japonica (juh-PON-ih-kuh) (Info)
Cultivar: Variegata
Additional cultivar information: (aka Gold Dust, Maculata, Punctata)

4 vendors have this plant for sale.

8 members have or want this plant for trade.

Category:
Shrubs

Height:
8-10 ft. (2.4-3 m)

Spacing:
4-6 ft. (1.2-1.8 m)

Hardiness:
USDA Zone 6a: to -23.3 °C (-10 °F)
USDA Zone 6b: to -20.5 °C (-5 °F)
USDA Zone 7a: to -17.7 °C (0 °F)
USDA Zone 7b: to -14.9 °C (5 °F)
USDA Zone 8a: to -12.2 °C (10 °F)
USDA Zone 8b: to -9.4 °C (15 °F)
USDA Zone 9a: to -6.6 °C (20 °F)
USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 °C (25 °F)
USDA Zone 10a: to -1.1 °C (30 °F)
USDA Zone 10b: to 1.7 °C (35 °F)

Sun Exposure:
Partial to Full Shade

Danger:
Parts of plant are poisonous if ingested

Bloom Color:
Inconspicuous/none

Bloom Time:
Late Winter/Early Spring

Foliage:
Grown for foliage
Evergreen
Variegated

Other details:
Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not overwater
This plant is resistant to deer

Soil pH requirements:
5.1 to 5.5 (strongly acidic)
5.6 to 6.0 (acidic)
6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic)

Propagation Methods:
From softwood cuttings
From semi-hardwood cuttings

Seed Collecting:
Unknown - Tell us

By Terry
Thumbnail #1 of Aucuba japonica by Terry

By wannadanc
Thumbnail #2 of Aucuba japonica by wannadanc

By cbudt
Thumbnail #3 of Aucuba japonica by cbudt

By htop
Thumbnail #4 of Aucuba japonica by htop

By Paulwhwest
Thumbnail #5 of Aucuba japonica by Paulwhwest

By RoyB
Thumbnail #6 of Aucuba japonica by RoyB

By RoyB
Thumbnail #7 of Aucuba japonica by RoyB

There are a total of 15 photos.
Click here to view them all!

Profile:

10 positives
3 neutrals
2 negatives

Gardeners' Notes:

RatingAuthorComment
Negative vetaflame On Apr 29, 2008, vetaflame from San Diego, CA wrote:

I love the way this plant looks, but I have had no success getting it to grow in my San Diego garden. It burns up in the sun and fails to thrive in the shade. I've tried several plants in different areas in my garden, but they always die. Almost everything thrives in my garden, but this plant has been quite a disappointment to me.

Positive gammyscircus On Jun 27, 2007, gammyscircus wrote:

Deer hate this plant/bush. But I love it, only I cannot get it to grow in a pot. I've kept it in shade and check it every week only to find the the stalks are getting soft. I'll try the method of just putting them in water for a few weeks.

Positive collies4u On May 16, 2007, collies4u from Checotah, OK wrote:

My friend's mother from Maryland gave me a start of this plant last January (2007). I brought it back to Oklahoma on the plane with me wrapped in wet paper towels in a plastic bag. I put it in a container of just regular tap water. In about 30 days, roots started growing, then about 3 months after I put it in water, a small puple flower appeared close to the water line. I was so amazed by it I took a close-up of it, which I'll try to send. It reminded me of a very tiny water lily. I haven't seen any other pictures of these flowers like this.

Positive tropicalbear On Apr 21, 2007, tropicalbear from Cincinnati, OH wrote:

Very nice plants! One of a very few evergreen plants in this area that have a tropical look. Had some varigated sports that I took cuttings from - turned out quite nice- hope to post pics soon.

Positive Savage223 On Apr 28, 2006, Savage223 from Elizabethtown, PA wrote:

I have two of these plants which were planted in 1987. They stand 3-1/2 feet tall at this time. I have never seen any "fruit" on these- probably due to the lack of gender or nearby opposing gendered plants.

I live in Hershey, Pennsylvania, which is between the two other PA locations listed.

They have been a hardy plant set, considering they're located on the border of the driveway where salt and road contaminants can get washed into their beds easily.

I, too, have experienced the blackened tips of the plants- though I wasn't sure if this was winter damage or sunlight. (They are located right next to the house on the east side, and receive light only between the hours of 10am and noon during the winter.) The black tips snap off on their own during early summer, and I do not usually see them until the following spring again.

I don't know if they have a propensity for attracting ants, but the only place I've found them in my entire yard was around the base of these. Again: they are located next to the pavement, which is certainly a place ants like to build.

I'd recommend these, provided you have the right sun location and lack deer.

Positive pokerboy On Sep 3, 2004, pokerboy from Canberra
()
(Zone 8b) wrote:

This plant supplies great foliage for the area of my shaded patio. It grows slowly and if a male and female plant are close to each other the female plant may produce bright red berries all winter long. pokerboy.

Positive Paulwhwest On Apr 30, 2004, Paulwhwest from Irving (Dallas area), TX
(Zone 8a) wrote:

It sure isn't fast growing, but my experience has been that it is quite easy-going. It's very disease resistant, and pretty drought tolerant. On top of that it's beautiful all year around.

Positive wnstarr On Apr 25, 2004, wnstarr from Puyallup, WA
(Zone 5a) wrote:

Edgewood, Wa. I have one growing in the woods behind my house. It is in the shade and I keep it trimmed to block any future development. It is a bush that stands 10-14 foot tall and is just as wide. Is a bright spot in the dark green of the woods. I have broken off limbs about 8-12 inches long and stuck them directly into the soil. The have rooted, no hormone, just keep them moist. Make a great looking hedge.

Positive youreit On Mar 17, 2004, youreit from Knights Landing, CA
(Zone 9b) wrote:

After I bought this plant, and my mom told me she'd grown this successfully years ago in the San Jose, CA, area, which has semi-coastal influence, I almost threw it out. I live in the border area of Sunset zones 8 & 14 in N. California, which gets very hot in the summer. I planted it in full shade last year, and it's growing like crazy now, the new light green leaves contrasting beautifully with the older growth. It's only about 1 ft. tall now, so I look forward to more growth in the future.

Positive plantenough On Feb 23, 2004, plantenough wrote:

you can't kill it. I've had to have several trees removed in my back yard, and each time these bushes are right in the way of the truck access. they cut them down to nubbs, and one year later there 3 feet tall again.

Neutral lakebird On Jul 16, 2003, lakebird from
(Zone 7b) wrote:

In my area, this plant is like "Deer Candy". Deer have completely destroyed my 3 plants.

Negative cbudt On Sep 5, 2002, cbudt wrote:

I've found that sun damage results in blackened leaves.

Neutral smiln32 On Aug 28, 2002, smiln32 from Oklahoma City, OK
(Zone 7a) wrote:

Can only tolerate sunny spots in cooler regions...direct sun can cause sunburn and defoliation. Flowers are very small. Pest problems include nematodes. Must have well drained soil or the roots will rot.

Neutral mosaic On Jun 18, 2002, mosaic wrote:

This plant is dioecious, meaning that male and female flowers are produced on separate individuals. The female plants will produce attractive clusters of bright scarlet fruit in the late fall and winter if there's a male plant close by.

Positive Terry On Mar 7, 2001, Terry from Murfreesboro, TN
(Zone 7a) wrote:

Probably the best-known aucuba, has dark green glossy leaves spotted with yellow. Requires shade from hot sun; accepts deep shade. Nice container plants for shady terraces, or plant underneath trees where they will tolerate low light and successfully compete with tree roots.

Regional...

This plant has been said to grow in the following regions:

,
Wetumpka, Alabama
Chowchilla, California
Fresno, California
Knights Landing, California
Mariposa, California
Martinez, California
Norwalk, California
Roseville, California
San Mateo, California
Thousand Oaks, California
Wilmington, Delaware
Gulf Breeze, Florida
West Palm Beach, Florida
Cedartown, Georgia
Lawrence, Kansas
Louisville, Kentucky
Annapolis, Maryland
Dunkirk, Maryland
Millersville, Maryland
Pikesville, Maryland
Rockville, Maryland
Raymond, Mississippi
Waynesboro, Mississippi
Las Vegas, Nevada
Collingswood, New Jersey
Lanoka Harbor, New Jersey
Neptune, New Jersey
New Hyde Park, New York
Roslyn, New York
Cary, North Carolina
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Efland, North Carolina
Hillsborough, North Carolina
Mooresville, North Carolina
New Bern, North Carolina
Raleigh, North Carolina
Cincinnati, Ohio
Checotah, Oklahoma
Stillwater, Oklahoma
Ashland, Oregon
Salem, Oregon
Abington, Pennsylvania
Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania
Irmo, South Carolina
North Augusta, South Carolina
Rock Hill, South Carolina
Summerville, South Carolina
Knoxville, Tennessee
Murfreesboro, Tennessee (2 reports)
Desoto, Texas
Fort Worth, Texas (2 reports)
Irving, Texas
Katy, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
Alexandria, Virginia
Newport News, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Springfield, Virginia
Anacortes, Washington
Bellingham, Washington
Puyallup, Washington
Seattle, Washington



We recommend Firefox
Overwhelmed? There's a lot to see here. Try starting at our homepage.

[ Home | About | Advertise | Mission | Acceptable Use Policy | Tour | Privacy Policy | Contact Us ]

Back to the top

Copyright © 2000-2008 Dave's Garden. All Rights Reserved.

All times are recorded in EDT
 

Gardens.com Pixamo Photo Sharing Bloom.com Landscaping.com

Hope for America