Aucuba japonica
Spotted Laurel

Uses

Edible uses

Notes

Leaves - cooked. An emergency food^[1]. It would have to be quite an emergency to convince me to eat them[K].

Leaves

Unknown use

Material uses

Makes a good hedge but its large leaves mean that it is quite labour intensive to maintain if a neatly clipped appearance is desired^[2]. Unless you are happy with the large leaves being cut in half, it means that you have to trim the hedge with secateurs^[2]. The plant will eventually make large weed-excluding shrubs and are suitable for covering large areas of ground, there are some dwarf forms that can be grown for ground cover^[3]. 'Nana Rotundifolia' has been mentioned and will form a hummock of growth about 1 metre across^[3].

There are no material uses listed for Aucuba japonica.

Medicinal uses(Warning!)

The leaves are pounded and applied to burns, swellings, chilblains etc^[4].

Unknown part

Poultice

Ecology

Ecosystem niche/layer

Soil surface

Ecological Functions

Ground cover

Hedge

Forage

Nothing listed.

Shelter

Nothing listed.

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame^[5]. Wash off the pulpy coating since this can inhibit germination. Stored seed should be soaked overnight and then stratified for 1 - 2 weeks at 3°c^[5]. The seed usually germinates in 1 - 3 months or more at 20°c^[5]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Once they are 20cm or more tall, plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.

Cuttings of mature wood of the current season's growth, 15 - 20cm long outdoors at any time between September to February though October and November are best^[6]. Very easy, even small branches will root^[7].

Layering in autumn. Takes 12 months^[6].

Practical Plants is currently lacking information on propagation instructions of Aucuba japonica. Help us fill in the blanks! Edit this page to add your knowledge.

Cultivation

A very tolerant and easily grown plant^[7], it thrives in most soils and even in the total shade of trees^[8]^[9]^[10] though for good fruit production a position with at least moderate sun should be chosen^[8]. Tolerates dry soils and drought^[11]^[10]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Tolerates salt winds^[10]. Very tolerant of atmospheric pollution^[8].

Plants are hardy to about -15°c^[11]^[10]. Often grown in the ornamental garden, there are many named varieties^[9]. The foliage can be scorched in very long hot summers if the plant is in an open position^[10]. Very tolerant of pruning, plants can be cut right back into the old wood if required^[11]^[10]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus^[10].

Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.

Crops

Problems, pests & diseases

Associations & Interactions

There are no interactions listed for Aucuba japonica. Do you know of an interaction that should be listed here? edit this page to add it.

Polycultures & Guilds

There are no polycultures listed which include Aucuba japonica.

Descendants

Cultivars

Varieties

None listed.

Subspecies

None listed.

Full Data

This table shows all the data stored for this plant.

References

? ^1.0^1.1 Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books ISBN 3874292169 (1984-00-00)
? ^2.0^2.1^2.2 Shepherd. F.W. Hedges and Screens. Royal Horticultural Society. ISBN 0900629649 (1974-00-00)
? ^3.0^3.1^3.2 Thomas. G. S. Plants for Ground Cover J. M. Dent & Sons ISBN 0-460-12609-1 (1990-00-00)
? ^4.0^4.1 Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. ISBN 0-917256-20-4 (1985-00-00)
? ^5.0^5.1^5.2 Rice. G. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 2. Thompson and Morgan. (1988-00-00)
? ^6.0^6.1 Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co (1948-00-00)
? ^7.0^7.1 F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press (1951-00-00)
? ^8.0^8.1^8.2^8.3 Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray (1981-00-00)
? ^9.0^9.1 Thomas. G. S. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray ISBN 0-7195-5043-2 (1992-00-00)
? ^10.0^10.1^10.2^10.3^10.4^10.5^10.6^10.7 Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press ISBN 0-333-47494-5 (1992-00-00)
? ^11.0^11.1^11.2 Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Shrubs. Pan Books ISBN 0-330-30258-2 (1989-00-00)
? Ohwi. G. Flora of Japan. (English translation) Smithsonian Institution (1965-00-00)

Cite error: <ref> tag with name "PFAFimport-266" defined in <references> is not used in prior text.

"image:Aucuba japonica.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.

[PFAFimport-177-1] ? ^1.0^1.1 Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books ISBN 3874292169 (1984-00-00)

[PFAFimport-29-2] ? ^2.0^2.1^2.2 Shepherd. F.W. Hedges and Screens. Royal Horticultural Society. ISBN 0900629649 (1974-00-00)

[PFAFimport-208-3] ? ^3.0^3.1^3.2 Thomas. G. S. Plants for Ground Cover J. M. Dent & Sons ISBN 0-460-12609-1 (1990-00-00)

[PFAFimport-218-4] ? ^4.0^4.1 Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. ISBN 0-917256-20-4 (1985-00-00)

[PFAFimport-134-5] ? ^5.0^5.1^5.2 Rice. G. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 2. Thompson and Morgan. (1988-00-00)

[PFAFimport-78-6] ? ^6.0^6.1 Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co (1948-00-00)

[PFAFimport-1-7] ? ^7.0^7.1 F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press (1951-00-00)

[PFAFimport-11-8] ? ^8.0^8.1^8.2^8.3 Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray (1981-00-00)

[PFAFimport-182-9] ? ^9.0^9.1 Thomas. G. S. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray ISBN 0-7195-5043-2 (1992-00-00)

[PFAFimport-200-10] ? ^10.0^10.1^10.2^10.3^10.4^10.5^10.6^10.7 Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press ISBN 0-333-47494-5 (1992-00-00)

[PFAFimport-184-11] ? ^11.0^11.1^11.2 Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Shrubs. Pan Books ISBN 0-330-30258-2 (1989-00-00)

[PFAFimport-58-12] ? Ohwi. G. Flora of Japan. (English translation) Smithsonian Institution (1965-00-00)

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

Article is incomplete	Yes +
Article requires citations	No +
Article requires cleanup	Yes +
Belongs to family	Cornaceae +
Belongs to genus	Aucuba +
Functions as	Ground cover + and Hedge +
Has common name	Spotted Laurel +
Has drought tolerance	Tolerant +
Has edible part	Leaves +
Has edible use	Unknown use +
Has environmental tolerance	Maritime exposure +, High wind + and Drought +
Has fertility type	Self sterile +
Has flowers of type	Dioecious +
Has growth rate	Moderate +
Has hardiness zone	7 +
Has image	Aucuba japonica.jpg +
Has lifecycle type	Perennial +
Has mature height	3 +
Has mature width	2.5 +
Has medicinal part	Unknown part +
Has medicinal use	Poultice +
Has primary image	Aucuba japonica.jpg +
Has search name	aucuba japonica + and x +
Has shade tolerance	Permanent shade +
Has soil ph preference	Very acid +, Acid +, Neutral +, Alkaline + and Very alkaline +
Has soil teclayture preference	Clay +
Has soil teheavy clayture preference	Heavy clay +
Has soil teloamyture preference	Loamy +
Has soil tesandyture preference	Sandy +
Has soil water retention preference	Well drained +
Has sun preference	Full sun +
Has taxonomy name	Aucuba japonica +
Has water requirements	moderate +
Inhabits ecosystem niche	Soil surface +
Is deciduous or evergreen	Evergreen +
Is herbaceous or woody	Woody +
Is taxonomy type	Species +
Tolerates maritime exposure	Yes +
Tolerates nutritionally poor soil	No +
Tolerates wind	Yes +
Uses mature size measurement unit	Meters +