danger garden: Aucuba japonica ‘Longifolia’ is my favorite plant in the garden, this week… Thursday, January 2, 2014 Aucuba japonica ‘Longifolia’ is my favorite plant in the garden, this week… During our little arctic nightmare in December I remember casting a glance at the Aucuba japonica ‘Longifolia’ and wondering if they were going to make it (I have three). None of them were protected (after all they are supposed to be hardy to USDA Zone 6) and they all looked positively miserable. Thankfully they’ve all bounced back without a bit of damage. This one has been in the ground for almost 2 years, planted from a 1 gallon container (please ignore the dried-up persicaria leaves that I haven't managed to clean up yet). With our continuing fog cover and strange light conditions I couldn’t get a decent photo of any of them, they really are a rich dark glossy green. This is the oldest, planted in the spring of 2011, also from a 1 gallon container. Why is this plant deserving of the “favorite” title? They power through a long hot summer never asking for a thing. Planted in deep shade they get by on very little water, all the while looking fabulous. They are already starting to bud-up… Here’s an older image of the flowers, small but sweet. Last year a couple of red berries formed as well. My three plants all came from Xera Plants here in Portland. Here’s their description: “Shiny, dapper and always glossy green this form of Acuba is often overlooked, but it’s a supreme shrub for dry shade. Long slightly indented leaves have a willowy effect and add light and grace to woodlands, especially where greedy roots take away soil moisture. To 8' tall and 5' wide in 5 years. Small flowers are not conspicuous. Easy to grow, hardy to cold. Pairs well with Rhododendrons and as a not too dense backdrop. AKA 'Angustifolia'.” If you're between USDA Zones 6b - 9b and need a fail-proof shrub (with biggish leaves) for dry shade I recommend this one. It's a beauty. Any favorite plants in your garden this week? All material © 2009-2014 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude. Labels: my fav plant in the garden this week 31 comments: Heather January 02, 2014 Ooh, I'm adding this one to my list! ReplyDelete Replies danger garden January 02, 2014 I am glad to hear it...I bought the first one on a whim (oh dry shade, ya okay I'll take it) but went back eagerly for the second and third. It is a great plant! Delete Replies Reply Reply outlawgardener January 02, 2014 Thanks Loree, this is a new acuba to me! My fave this week will be in tomorrows post. ReplyDelete Replies danger garden January 02, 2014 I did finally break down and buy one of the yellow spotted leaf aucubas at Cistus last fall (it's a more mellow spot, not that freaky bright one I hate) but I still think this one is highly under rated! Delete Replies Reply Reply Kris Peterson January 02, 2014 Glossy leaves, flowers and berries - you can't do better. My favorite this week is also a 'longifolia' but one of a different genus: http://krispgarden.blogspot.com/2014/01/my-favorite-plant-this-week-lomandra.html ReplyDelete Replies danger garden January 02, 2014 Yes, I'm glad you understand, and I can't wait to check out your favorite! Delete Replies Reply Reply Anonymous January 02, 2014 That's a beauty of an evergreen! My favorite in the garden is Abelia "Kalaidescope". A slow growing mounding groundcover, it brightens up my full sun yard in these dreary months. Needs little water once established, and though not a prolific bloomer, it pairs well with Euphorbia "Blackbird". Jim ReplyDelete Replies danger garden January 02, 2014 Dreary months? I have no idea what you're talking about. (ha - I wish) I just looked up this abelia and really love the dark red tones. How many months of the year does it have that coloring? Delete Replies Reply Reply Mark and Gaz January 02, 2014 Thank goodness for plants like this, pristine and evergreen even after a freeze! ReplyDelete Replies danger garden January 02, 2014 No doubt! If my garden were filled with them I might feel differently about winter (but we all know that isn't going to happen!) Delete Replies Reply Reply Rainy Day Gardener January 02, 2014 Oh, this is going on my list! I have a super difficult dry shade area that is in need of plants! Great choice for the week. Here's my post http://www.rainydaygardener.com/2014/01/my-favorite-plant-of-week-thuja.html ReplyDelete Replies danger garden January 02, 2014 You won't regret it Jenni! Delete Replies Reply Reply Alan January 02, 2014 I have a dry shade problem area (who doesn't?) but 8' tall and 5' wide is way too big. I wonder if the deer will prune it for me? ReplyDelete Replies danger garden January 02, 2014 Are you kidding. If I were a deer I would love those leaves... Delete Replies Reply Reply Alison January 02, 2014 Thanks for recommending this, I do have a dry shade area that it would fit perfectly into. ReplyDelete Replies danger garden January 03, 2014 Yay! Glad to help. Delete Replies Reply Reply Adam D January 03, 2014 I have one of those Aucuba and I really like it. Mine was bought and planted out 2.5 years ago and it was about 12 inches tall. It has grown about 9 inches in that time, but has never flowered. It is on the north side of my house, so it receives sunshine during the summer, but it is in light shade during the autumn and winter. My favourite plants in my garden this week have been my Hellebore as some of them are starting to send up flower buds. ReplyDelete Replies danger garden January 03, 2014 Both of my older plants have flowered, as I recall (although my memory has been playing tricks on me lately) they are also fragrant. Hope yours give you a few flowers this year. I noticed a couple of hellebore buds too, isn't it wonderful? Delete Replies Reply Adam Davis January 03, 2014 Yes, it is wonderful to see Loree, it reminds you that things will start to get better weather-wise soon. I will keep my fingers crossed for flowers this year. Speaking about fragrant flowers I have noticed over the last few weeks that the various Sarcococca that I planted out last year all have flower buds on them and I hope that they smell as sweet as the reports that I have read. Plus, I am hoping for some flowers this year from my Daphne odora marginata variegata. It's a reasonable size now (it suffered a bit last month because it had been blown over at a horrible angle by the incessant winds and also due to the fact that the ground over here is sodden). Have a great weekend! Delete Replies Reply Reply Unknown January 03, 2014 I love my Aucuba in my dry shade. I garden up here in the Okanagan valley, BC, Canada. Never any damage on my plants (we are supposedly zone 5 but I call my yard zone 6) but they do look pretty sad when it is cold. I'll keep an eye out for this variety. ReplyDelete Replies danger garden January 03, 2014 Ah, you're one of those tough gardeners who deals with the real winter weather... Delete Replies Reply Reply Unknown January 03, 2014 Nice looking from afar, and up close I love the little points alongside the edges of the older leaves, and lovely glossy rich colour too! Here's mine: http://crmbsgrdn.blogspot.com.au/2014/01/my-favourite-plant-in-garden-this-week.html ReplyDelete Replies danger garden January 05, 2014 Looking at the images again I realize the leaves really don't look as big as they are. I should have included something for scale. Delete Replies Reply Reply MulchMaid January 03, 2014 This aucuba is new to me though I love the more common form 'Goldstrike'. Yours is going on my list for the dry-shade problem area - don't we all have one of those? Here's my "weekly favorite" post: http://mulchmaid.blogspot.com/2014/01/carex-buchananii-my-favorite-plant-in.html ReplyDelete Replies danger garden January 05, 2014 I'm slowly (very slowly) warming up to the gold spots but 'Goldstrike' is just far to much for me, I think it looks like it's sick! And I hope I haven't just insulted one of your favs... Delete Replies Reply Reply ricki January 04, 2014 Dry shade: the bane of many a gardener. There you go again: solving problems for us. My fave this week is one you featured a while back, if I remember correctly: http://bannersbyricki.com/archives/3546 ReplyDelete Replies danger garden January 05, 2014 And you do remember correctly, I love that plant! Delete Replies Reply Reply Angie January 05, 2014 I can't say I've noticed this Aucuba available over here - I grow Aucuba japonica Rozannie and it's not terribly keen on the conditions in my garden. I suspect it's possibly a bit too 'moist' for it. I'm going to keep an eye out for this one, it might be worth giving it a go in a pot - I do like the leaves. ReplyDelete Replies danger garden January 05, 2014 Too moist sounds like it could be a problem, and growing one in a well-draining container sounds like a good solution! Delete Replies Reply Reply Eric January 05, 2014 Aucuba japonica 'Longifolia' has performed well in the eastern PA (Philadelphia region). It will take the cold and dry shade in stride - it does seem that growth is faster with moisture as anything does. Another great evergreen for dry shade is Illicum henryi. ReplyDelete Replies Reply danger garden January 05, 2014 Thank you! I hadn't run across Illicum henryi and it looks like a winner, I especially like those sweet flowers. ReplyDelete Replies Reply Add comment Load more... Thank you for taking the time to comment. Comment moderation is on (because you know: spam), I will approve and post your comment as soon as possible! 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