Skimmia japonica
Skimmia
Common names: Japanese Skimmia
Photo: Kurt Stüber [1] · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
This description was machine-translated.
Description
Skimmia japonica is a small evergreen shrub with leathery, dark green leaves that provide winter structure. In autumn it displays thick, reddish buds that remain decorative throughout winter, before blooming in March to April (week 12 to 14) into fragrant white racemes. The species is dioecious, so a female and a male plant are needed for fruit production. Some cultivars, such as ‘Rubella’, feature deep red buds for added winter interest.
Care instructions
Prefers a semi‑shaded to shaded location, such as under light trees or on a north-facing wall. Soil should be humus-rich, well‑drained, and permanently acidic to slightly acidic; alkaline soils cause leaf yellowing. Keep the root zone consistently moist—both waterlogging and drought are poorly tolerated. In spring, apply a mulch layer of leaf litter or bark humus to keep the soil cool and stabilize pH. Pruning is rarely necessary; after flowering, trim overly long shoots gently if desired.
Soil & site
Soil pH
Soil type
well-drained, humus-rich, lime-avoiding, moist
Feeding
Medium feeder
Pruning
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