Growing Aucuba in a pot

Which varieties to grow in pots?

For pot culture, you can opt for different varieties:

• the Aucuba japonica or Japanese Laurel: it’s a safe bet. It bears glossy dark-green foliage with a dentate edge. Leaves can reach 20 cm in length. It can grow up to 3 metres tall by 2 metres wide.
• the Aucuba japonica ‘Variegata’: a handsome variety of Spotted Laurel with a more compact size, reaching 1.75 metres tall. It has a compact, rounded habit and green foliage variegated with yellow. After flowering, red-orange fruits appear on female plants in the presence of a nearby male plant.
• the Aucuba japonica ‘Golden King’: Spotted Laurel. This variety stands out for particularly bright foliage, dark green with heavy yellow splashes. It reaches 1.80 metres high and the same width.
• the Aucuba japonica ‘Crotonifolia’ : another variety of Spotted Laurel with variegated foliage, dark green blotched with yellow or cream-white. It reaches a height of 1.80 metres.
• the Aucuba japonica ‘Rozannie’. It is a compact, bushy-growing variety, reaching 1.10 metres in height. Its glossy foliage is solid dark green. It flowers in spring and, being hermaphrodite, bears an abundance of large red fruits.

Aucuba japonica ‘Rozannie’, ‘Crotonifolia’, and ‘Golden King’.

When is the best time to pot Aucuba in a pot, and what light exposure should it have?

Potted Aucuba should ideally be grown in spring or autumn, when temperatures are mild and the risk of frost is lower. These periods promote good rooting before the extreme temperatures of summer or winter. As for placement, Aucuba prefers partially shaded to shaded spots, as direct sun can burn its foliage. It adapts well to shaded corners of a terrace or balcony, where it adds a touch of greenery. Avoid areas exposed to cold winds and favour a sheltered location, which will ensure healthy and vigorous growth.

Hardy to -15°C in the ground, Aucuba is hardy and can be grown in almost all regions of France, bearing in mind that its frost resistance in pots will be somewhat reduced

Aucuba prefers partial shade or shade.

How to plant an Aucuba in a pot?

What type of pot?

Any pot will do, but terracotta pots promote better water evaporation and better root aeration.

What substrate?

Aucuba needs a very well-drained substrate to prevent waterlogging and root rot. It adapts to any garden soil, but prefers a rich, acidic substrate.

Planting

• Choose a container at least 30 cm in diameter to accommodate the Aucuba. The pot should have a drainage hole.
• Moisten the root ball before planting.
• Pour at the bottom of the pot a layer of gravel or clay balls to ensure good drainage.
• Then place in the pot a substrate formed of potting compost for bushes to which you can add a perlite. It is possible to use a light potting compost specially suited for balcony and terrace plantings. Lighter than standard potting compost, which allows easier storage and transport, it is also formed to retain water well and limit watering.
• Centre the Aucuba in the pot and cover with substrate.
• Firm the substrate to remove any air pockets and ensure good contact of the soil with the roots.
• Water thoroughly.

How to care for Aucuba in a pot?

Watering and fertilising

In summer, water regularly to keep the substrate cool, generally twice a week.
In winter, watering will be more moderate, only when the substrate is dry. Avoid excess water to prevent root rot. Never let water stagnate in the saucer and reduce watering to every two to three weeks. During frosty periods, stop watering altogether to protect the roots.
Apply a liquid fertiliser once a month during the growing season, in summer.

Aucuba pruning

Aucuba pruning is not essential and is usually performed on plants used for hedging.

The period for pruning Aucuba runs from February to April. An autumn prune risks depriving you of the decorative berries that female plants can produce.
Pruning helps refresh the shrub’s ramure. With a pruning shear, readjust the shape of the Aucuba, remove dead branches and those that cross to promote good air circulation in the shrub.

Diseases and pests

Aucuba is very hardy and is not particularly susceptible to diseases and pests.

Its weak point is a waterlogged substrate, to monitor to ensure it remains well-drained. The drop in leaves can indicate that the Aucuba is overwatered.
If the Aucuba’s leaves turn black, it is placed in too sunny a spot. It should be moved to shade.
It is possible that the Aucuba is attacked by aphids. In this case, spray with a solution of liquid black soap and water.

For more information, see our care guide: How to protect your Aucuba from diseases and pests?

Further reading: discover our complete guide on the planting and maintenance of the Aucuba as well as on the cultivation of potted plants.