Aucuba japonica Golden King- Spotted Laurel

The Aucuba japonica 'Golden King' is a particularly colourful and equally as easy to grow as the typical Japanese laurel species . It stands out with its original and bright foliage, abundantly splashed and speckled with yellow on a dark green background, which remains evergreen throughout the year. Pretty little red berries appear in winter only on female plants. This beautiful rounded bush is perfect for bringing colour and light to shaded areas of the garden, and north/north-east-facing walls, and will make a focal point on a shaded terrace when planted in a large container.

Native to the Far East, Japan, Taiwan, and eastern China, the Japanese Aucuba is a true shade- and cool climate-loving plant belonging to the cornaceae family. In its variegated forms, however, this cousin of dogwoods prefers the filtered light of a gentle sun, which enhances the beauty of its foliage. A dense bush with a rounded habit, the 'Golden King' variety forms a tall and wide bush, reaching 1.50 m (4 ft 11 in) to  (6 ft 7 in) in height, with a curious evergreen foliage that is dark green splashed with bright cream-yellow speckles. The oval and elongated leaves measure 10 to 15 cm (3.9 to 5.9 in) in length and 5 to 7 cm (2 to 2.8 in) in width. They are thick, leathery, and glossy. In late spring, the Aucuba produces beautiful clusters of purple flowers, hidden among the foliage. Like Holly, the Aucuba is dioecious, meaning it will either be male or female, and a female plant will only produce small orange-red fruits in the presence of plants of both sexes.

A shade- and partial shade-loving bush, perfectly hardy, the Golden King Japanese Laurel grows quite quickly, likes fertile, slightly acidic, and moist soil, but can tolerate much less favourable growing conditions, including dry soil, allowing for its hardening in almost any garden. Very hardy and easy to grow, it does not require any shaping pruning. Use it as a standalone plant, in a hedge, or at the back of a shaded flowerbed, but also near an east or north-east-facing entrance, next to a hydrangea, a Mexican orange tree, or a Nandina. If your terrace or balcony has a slightly shaded area, it can accommodate this beautiful Aucuba, which will provide a permanent focal point, especially enjoyable in winter under grey and low skies.