Japanese Aucuba

Japanese aucuba is the broadleaf evergreen that thrives in deep shade where almost nothing else survives: the dark strip between the house and the fence, under the eaves on the north side, beneath a mature conifer where the ground never fully dries but direct sunlight never reaches. The leaves are large, glossy, and leathery, and on female plants bright red berries persist through winter. The gold-spotted variegated forms are the ones most commonly sold, turning a dark corner into something that catches light. Native to Japan, Korea, and Taiwan.

Japanese aucuba handles conditions that kill most broadleaf evergreens. It takes full shade and still looks good, which is a short list of plants. It grows six to ten feet tall with an upright form and tolerates heavy soils. Three diseases and three pests are tracked, including anthracnose and scale, but healthy specimens in appropriate sites rarely need treatment. The one vulnerability is cold: aucuba is rated Zone 6 to 7, and a sustained hard freeze below about 15 degrees Fahrenheit will burn the foliage and can kill stems to the ground. Site it with some overhead or structural protection from extreme cold.