Kingdom: Plantae
(Unranked): Angiosperms
(Unranked): Eudicots
(Unranked): Asterids
Order: Garryales
Family: Garryaceae
Genus: Aucuba
Species: A. japonica
Cultivar name: Aucuba japonica ‘Forest Green'
Common name: Japanese laurel ‘Forest Green'
The original Aucuba japonica is a large evergreen shrub or small tree standing 2 to 5 meters in height. It is endemic to the warmer forests of Japan living in the wet valleys and ravines of mountain forests. This large evergreen shrub nd is many cultivars are now grown world wide. The cultivar Aucuba japonica ‘Forest Green’ is a large leaved pure green laurel that grows to a height on 1.5m.
The large dark green serrated leaves are each is 7-20 cm long and 4-15 cm wide. The leaf serrations are few, but large. The flowers are born in loose clusters, are very small (5-7 mm), and star shaped. They just precede the new growth, starting in August. The four (sometimes five) petals are maroon in colour with a green center and sometimes are edged in white. This plant is dioecious, that is, there are separate sex plants with male flowers and female flowers. The oblong berries that grow only on the female plants start out bright green and turn a bright red in winter. This shrub is tolerant of heavy shade and dry conditions.
Flowers appearing in August.
A large leaf.20cm long leaf.
A small leaf.
The underside of a leaf.
