Japanese laurel

Aucuba japonica Thunb.

light
Part–shade
water
Medium
tall
2.4 m
wide
1.5 m

Garryaceae

When it flowers

Not known yet in the tropics: too few flowering observations to read a season from.

PetsNo pet-safety information yet
PeopleNC State Extension lists it as mildly poisonous (fruits, leaves) (25 Oct 2026)

If a child, a pet or anyone may have eaten a plant, contact a doctor or vet straight away, or call the National Poisons Information Centre (AIIMS, New Delhi) on 1800 116 117, free and open 24 hours.

Something wrong with it?

About it

Grows as
ShrubKew's checklist, not yet checked
Climate
TemperateKew's checklist, not yet checked
Wild in
SE. China to Temp. E. AsiaKew's checklist, not yet checked
Light
Part shade to shade (under 6 h)Read from NC State Extension, one source
Height
1.8 m to 3.0 mRead from NC State Extension, one source
Spread
1.2 m to 1.8 mRead from NC State Extension, one source
Water
Average: moist, well drainedRead from NC State Extension, one source
Flowers
Red, purpleRead from NC State Extension, one source
Coldest it survives
-17.8 °C (USDA zone 7a)Read from NC State Extension, one source

Not known yet: heat, hottest it survives.

In other languages (4)

Chinese
青木, 東瀛珊瑚
Asturian
Aucuba
Welsh
coeden frech felen
Simplified Chinese
东瀛珊瑚, 青木

Where this comes from

A fact “checked by a majority of its sources” was settled by a vote of the pages it was read from, not by a person reading it; one marked “one source” rests on that page alone. Anything else not marked checked has not been checked yet. Where nothing is known, the page says so rather than guess.