Aucuba japonica

Taxobox
name = Spotted Laurel
status = LR/lc


image_width = 210px
image_caption = Spotted Laurel Male
regnum = Plantae
divisio = flowering plant
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo = Garryales
familia = Garryaceae
genus = "Aucuba"
species = "A. japonica"
binomial = "Aucuba japonica"
binomial_authority = L.

Spotted Laurel ("Aucuba japonica") is a shrub (1-5m) native to woods in lowland and mountains all over Japan and China. In rich forest soils of moist valleys, dense forests, thickets, by streams and near shaded moist rocks in China. The leaves are opposite, broad lanceolate, 5-8cm long and 2-5cm wide. "Aucuba japonica" are dioecious, they have separate male and female plants. The flowers are small, 4-8 mm diameter, with four purplish-brown petals; they are produced in clusters of 10-30 in a loose cyme. The fruit is a red berry "approx." 1 cm diameter. They are often avoided by birds. They are a popular garden plant in the United Kingdom and western Europe.

External Links

* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/plants/plant_finder/plant_pages/79.shtml BBC Gardening "Aucuba Japonica"]

Internal Links

*"Aucuba"

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