What: Bright-red fruit forms on Aucuba japonica “Rozannie” even without a pollinizer. The glossy, dark-green leaves on this compact Japanese aucuba selection have a few coarse-like teeth near the tip, giving it a slight holly-like appearance — but it’s definitely not as sharp. One of the Japanese aucuba’s great attributes is that it will grow well in shade, even deep shade, and need little water — making it a great competitor with the conifers of the Pacific Northwest.
Where: Japanese aucuba prefers well-drained soil, but will tolerate sandy soils or clay. Plant it in dappled to deep shade, as too much sun will cause the leaves to yellow and burn.
Size: This evergreen shrub grows to be 6 feet tall and 6 feet wide when mature.
Care: Aucuba is quite drought tolerant once established, although occasional summer watering will keep it looking its best during prolonged dry weather.
— Richie Steffen, Great Plant Picks
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