Aucuba japonica in Japan

摘要

National Plant Collection holder LINDA EGGINS describes a trip to Japan to study the species. SOME BROADLEAVED evergreens such as camellias and rhododendrons are grown principally for their flamboyant flowers. Others, such as Aucuba japonica, are grown for their versatility and reliability as useful infillers the year round; their berries in late winter arc a bonus. The genus Aucuba is traditionally regarded as belonging to the Cornaceae, although recent research places it in the Garryaceae. Of the four species, A. cbinensis, A. himalaka and A. omeiensis can be grown in favourable pockets of the British Isles, but they are less tolerant of the broader British climate than the widely grown A. japonica.