Aucuba Japonica Rozannie- Spotted Laurel

The Aucuba japonica 'Rozannie' is a very fruitful variety of Japanese laurel with a naturally compact and bushy habit, particularly well suited to small spaces and container gardening. Its particularly glossy foliage is a perfectly uniform dark green, and in spring it is adorned with small flowers that produce an abundance of large red berries on each hermaphroditic subject. This endearing and very easy to grow shrub is perfect for elegantly dressing shaded areas of a Japanese or classic garden, north/northeast-facing walls, and will make a focal point on a shaded terrace when planted in a large pot.

Native to the Far East, Japan, Taiwan, and eastern China, the Japanese Aucuba is a genuine shade- and cool climate-loving plant, belonging to the cornaceae family. This cousin of dogwoods generally prefers fertile and moist soil, but can tolerate mediocre or even dry soil in summer.

A dwarf, dense shrub with a rounded habit and a rather slow growth rate, the 'Rozannie' variety was awarded the Award of Garden Merit in 2002 in England, the equivalent of a gold medal in the plant world. The plant eventually forms a tall and wide bush of 1 to 1.20 metres, with a superb evergreen deeply indented foliage. The oval and elongated leaves measure about 10 cm (3.9 in) in length and 5 cm (2 in) in width. They are thick, leathery, and glossy, with the young leaves being lighter than their mature siblings. In late spring, Aucuba Rozannie produces beautiful clusters of whitish to reddish flowers, hidden among the foliage. Unlike other Aucuba varieties, the 'Rozannie' is hermaphroditic and self-fertile: a single individual plant is capable of producing fruit without the presence of another nearby. This variety will also pollinate all other Aucuba plants in the garden. The bright red berries are of a good size and persist on the shrub until late winter. They are not edible for humans but are enjoyed by certain birds during the winter.

A shade- and semi-shade-loving, perfectly hardy shrub, the Rozannie Japanese Laurel appreciates fertile, slightly acidic, and moist soil, but can tolerate much less favourable growing conditions, including dry soil, which allows for its adaptation to almost any garden. Very hardy and easy to grow, it does not require any pruning. Use it as a standalone plant, as a small screening hedge, or in the back of shaded borders, but also near an east- or northeast-facing entrance, next to Hydrangea, Mexican Orange Blossom, or Nandina. If your terrace or balcony has a slightly shaded area, it can accommodate this adorable fruit-loaded Rozannie aucuba: it will provide a permanent ornament even in a small space.