Dogwood family. Homeland aukuba Japan. At home, Japanese Aucuba japonica is common. This is an eternally green shrub, in nature reaching almost 5 m in height, in room conditions it grows about 1.5 meters. It has erect well-branching shoots. The leaves are oppositely arranged, up to 20 cm long and about 5-6 cm wide, ovoid, with a serrate edge and a smooth shiny surface. Depending on the variety, the leaves can be even green or have a pattern of yellow specks, stripes, different shapes. It blooms with small nondescript flowers of a reddish tint, collected in loose panicles.
Care for aukuba
Temperature: Aukuba grows well in cool rooms. In warm rooms, where more than 19-20 ° C can shed the lower leaves and loses decorative attractiveness. In summer, it is better to keep outdoors. In winter, a temperature of about 10-14 ° C is preferred, with a minimum of 7 ° C.
Lighting: Bright diffused light, protection from direct sunlight, tolerates light partial shade, requires good lighting in winter.
Watering: In spring and summer, aukube needs abundant watering, moderate and careful in winter.
Fertilizer: Between May and August, aucubus is fed weekly with complex fertilizer for deciduous plants. In autumn and winter they do not feed.
Air humidity: Frequent spraying - aucuba loves moist air, aucuba especially needs spraying if kept in winter in a room with central heating.
Transplant: Annually in the spring. The soil is 2 part light turf, 1 part leafy land, 1 part peat, and 1 part sand.
Breeding: Aukubu is propagated by cuttings in late summer.