Dwarf Green Aucuba

Aucuba japonica ‘Nana’

Plant Details

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 7a-10b Find Your Zone

Plant Type: Evergreen Shrub

Height at Maturity: 3-4′

Width at Maturity: 3-4′

Spacing: 3′ for solid hedges; 7’+ for space between plants

Growth Habit / Form: Dense, Mounding, Upright

Growth Rate: Slow to Moderate

Flower Color: NA

Flower Size: NA

Flowering Period: NA

Flower Type: NA

Fragrant Flowers: NA

Foliage Color: Very Deep Green

Fragrant Foliage: No

Sun Needs: Shade or Mostly Shade, Morning Sun with Afternoon Shade

Water Needs: Low Once Established

Soil Type: Clay (Amended), Loam, Sand, Silt

Soil Moisture / Drainage: Well Drained Lightly Moist, Well Drained Dry

Soil pH: 6.0 – 7.0

Maintenance / Care: Low

Attracts: Visual Attention

Resistances: Deer – more info, Disease, Drought, Dry Soil, Heat, Heavy Shade, Insect

Description

Though it looks like a tropical plant, Dwarf Green Aucuba is a super-hardy evergreen shrub that features very dark green, sword shaped leaves that contrast nicely with almost any plant nearby. This foliage provides a nice tropical effect in the shady areas of the landscape or gardens. It is a wonderful evergreen accent in perennial shade gardens combined with hosta lilies, perennial ferns, heucheras, and other shade-loving plants.

Landscape & Garden Uses

Growing in a dense mound 3 to 4 feet tall and wide, and thriving in dense shade to part shade, Dwarf Green Aucuba is ideal for use as an accent, in groupings, or as a natural hedge in home foundation plantings, under the canopies of large shade trees, and in other shady areas. A fine addition to the tropical look garden, perennial shade gardens, rock gardens, and Xeriscape gardens (low water needs). You can also grow this flashy beauty year-round indoors as a houseplant!

Suggested Spacing: 3 feet apart for solid hedges; 7 feet or more apart for space between plants

Note: For our customers who live and garden north of USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 7a, where this Aucuba variety is not winter hardy outdoors, you can enjoy it as a year-round houseplant or in containers that can be moved indoors during winter and placed back outside when temperatures warm up in spring.

Growing Preferences

Aucuba are very easy to grow and care for. They thrive in most any well-drained soil and full shade to part shade. Morning sun is okay but avoid the direct afternoon sun, which can scald the leaves. As with so many other ornamental shrubs, Aucuba does not like constantly soggy or wet soils.

Helpful Articles

Click on the link below to find helpful advice from our experts on how to plant and care for Aucuba.

How To Plant & Care For Aucuba Plants

Plant Long & Prosper!

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I ordered six of these plants in the late spring and could not be happier with how they are doing! As always, Wilson Bros delivered beautiful, healthy plants with clear directions. Not always successful in my landscaping attempts, these shrubs have flourished. New growth has appeared all summer and into the fall. As I was clearing their bed of fall leaves just the other day, I noticed healthy berries on the shrubs. Truly, we could not be happier with the purchase and are very impressed with your product! Thank you for being so great!!!—————————————–We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

I have looked everywhere for a non-variegated aucuba. This is the only place I have been able to find it. Prompt delivery and well packaged product will make me buy again from Wilson Brothers Gardens.————————————————Thanks for the great review! We are so glad you are pleased! Beth | WBG