Gold Dust Aucuba

Aucuba japonica ‘Variegata’

Plant Details

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 7a-10b Find Your Zone

Plant Type: Evergreen Shrub

Height at Maturity: 5-6′

Width at Maturity: 4-6′

Spacing: 4-5′ for solid hedges; 9′ for space between plants

Growth Habit / Form: Upright Dense Mound

Growth Rate: Moderate

Flower Color: NA

Flower Size: NA

Flowering Period: NA

Flower Type: NA

Fragrant Flowers: NA

Foliage Color: Very Deep Green

Fragrant Foliage: No

Berries: Yes, with male plant nearby

Berry Color: Red

Sun Needs: Shade or Mostly Shade, Morning Sun with Afternoon Shade

Water Needs: Low Once Established

Soil Type: Clay (Amend heavy clay to ensure good drainage), Loam, Sand, Silt

Soil Moisture / Drainage: Moist But Well Drained; tolerates drought when established

Soil pH: 6.0 – 7.5

Maintenance / Care: Low

Attracts: Visual Attention

Resistances: Deer – more info, Disease, Drought, Dry Soil, Heat, Heavy Shade, Insect

Description

An improvement over ‘Crotonifolia’ and other scorch-prone Aucuba varieties, ‘Marmorata’ sports bold, dark green variegated leaves that look as though they’ve been heavily speckled with yellow paint. One of the most attractive and easiest, low maintenance evergreen shrubs to grow in the shade, Marmorata is sure to light up even the most shady areas. Because no other plants share similar foliage, this Aucuba is an indispensable shade plant that compliments all other plants nearby while bringing a look of the tropics to the landscape. Can also be grown as an indoor houseplant year round.

Landscape & Garden Uses

Growing 5 to 6 feet tall, and wide and thriving in dense shade to part shade, the Marmorata Aucuba is ideal for use as an accent or in groupings under the canopies of large shade trees and in other shady areas. Also great for use as a specimen, in groupings or as a natural hedge in landscape borders and home foundation plantings. It’s tropical-looking evergreen leaves make Gold Dust Aucuba plants a perfect choice for bringing a flare of the tropics to your landscape, perennial shade garden or rock and Xeriscape (low water needs) gardens. What’s more…you can grow this flashy beauty year-round as an indoor houseplant!

Suggested Spacing: 4 feet apart for solid hedges; 8 feet or more apart for space between plants

Growing Preferences

Aucuba are very easy to grow and low maintenance plants that like a moist to somewhat dry well-drained soil of average fertility and shade to part shade. As with so many other ornamental shrubs, constantly soggy or wet soils are problematic. Aucuba thrive in the shadiest of spots, even under the canopies of large trees and decks where lawn grass and many other plants are difficult to grow. Morning and evening sun are fine but avoid exposure to direct afternoon sun, which can scorch leaves.

Helpful Articles

Click on the link below to find helpful advice from our experts on how to plant and care for Aucuba plants.

How To Plant & Care For Aucuba Plants

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