Aucuba

Aucuba japonica 'Variegata'

tree

Aucuba (Aucuba japonica), often called gold dust plant or Japanese laurel, is a bold broadleaf evergreen valued for thriving in deep, dry shade where almost nothing else will grow. It bears large, leathery leaves - speckled and splashed with gold in variegated forms like Variegata - on a dense, rounded, slow-growing shrub of about 6 to 10 ft. It is dioecious, so a female produces its showy red winter berries only when a male grows nearby. Its tolerance of dark corners, pollution, and poor soil makes it a go-to plant for difficult shaded spots, courtyards, and north walls.

✅ Plant alongside

Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests

• Hosta — A shade perennial that pairs with aucuba bold foliage in dark corners
• Fern — Fine-textured contrast that shares the same deep, moist shade
• Hellebore — An evergreen shade perennial that flowers beneath aucuba in winter and early spring

🛡️ Pest & disease prevention

Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts — tap a name with an arrow for its full guide

• Mealybugs →

  White cottony clusters in leaf joints; wipe off and treat with horticultural oil

• Scale →

  Bumps on stems and leaves suck sap; treat with horticultural oil and prune infested twigs

• Phytophthora root rot →

  Fatal in soggy soil; plant in well-drained ground and avoid overwatering

• Anthracnose →

  Dark blotches in wet conditions or from sun scorch; remove affected leaves and keep out of direct sun

🌾 Harvest & storage

Aucuba is grown as a bold evergreen for shade, not for harvest. It needs little pruning; the main task is shaping in spring and removing any leaves blackened by sun or cold. The cut variegated stems are useful in shade-garden arrangements and greenery.

🥗 Nutrition & benefits

Aucuba is an ornamental shade shrub, not edible. Its value is bold, gold-speckled evergreen foliage that lights up deep, dry shade where few other shrubs survive.

⚠️ Toxicity & safety

Aucuba leaves and red berries contain the glycoside aucubin and are of low toxicity; eating them may cause nausea, vomiting, and possibly fever. They are not a serious hazard but are not edible, so keep children and pets from grazing on the bright fruit.