Aucuba is a decorative and deciduous evergreen tree from the Garieva family. It lives in China, Japan and the Himalayan highlands. This beautiful culture attracts large leaves with a scattering of yellow spots of various sizes. Thanks to this natural decoration, the aucuba is often called the "golden tree." Travelers brought flower to Europe in the 17th century. Since then, in addition to several species, many decorative varieties have appeared. They are grown in gardens and indoors, and it’s not difficult to take care of unusual bushes.
Plant description
Aucuba is an evergreen sprawling shrub or small tree. In nature, the maximum height of the plant is 4 m, but indoors it usually does not exceed 180 cm. Lateral shoots form on branches almost from the ground. They are covered with smooth dark green bark with reddish or brown stains in the lower part. Traces of fallen leaves are preserved on the bark.
The oblong petiolate leaves are dark green. Often on the surface of the sheet plate there are spots, stains or strips of contrasting shades. The leaf length is about 13 cm. It has serrated edges and is slightly bent along the central vein.
The flowering period begins for aucuba in February-April, however, at home, flowers are extremely rare. An inflorescence in the form of a brush or panicle blooms on the tops of the shoots. Small corollas are painted in red-brown tones. Aucuba is a dioecious plant. That is, there are individuals exclusively with male and female colors. For pollination and fruiting, you must have at least 2 heterosexual plants.
After pollination, bright red berries (drupes) ripen on the tops of the branches. Under the juicy pulp hides a single seed. You can’t eat aucuba berries, as they are very poisonous.
Types of Aucuba
The genus Aucuba is very modest, it registered only 10 species of plants. Here is some of them:
Aucuba is Japanese. Plants are most often found in culture. They are evergreen shrubs with lignified, smooth stems. Petiole leaves are opposite. The elongated oval sheet plate has a pointed edge and smooth or serrated sides. After pollination, the top of the crown is decorated with bright orange fruits. The variety has many varieties with different leaf colors. Varieties:
- Variegata - large bright green leaves covered with small whitish spots;
- Gold Dust - jagged oval foliage densely covered with golden specks;
- Dentata - in bright green monophonic leaves there are pronounced teeth along the edge;
- Picturata - the center of the oblong leaf is painted yellow, and shapeless dark green stripes are located at the edges.
Aucuba Himalayan. Long and narrow bright green leaves with rare golden dots bloom on the shoots. Flowering begins in March. Cystic inflorescences of burgundy hue bloom at the tops of the shoots. After pollination, they are replaced by scarlet oblong berries with a large bone.
Breeding
Aucuba is propagated by seeds and apical, non-lignified cuttings. For planting, you need to use only fresh seeds. They are soaked for 1-2 days in a solution of potassium permanganate, and then seeded in a sand-peat mixture to a depth of 0.5 cm. The boxes are covered with a film and placed in a room with a temperature of about + 21 ... + 23 ° C. Daily crops must be aired and sprayed from the spray gun. Shoots appear slowly and uncomplicated within 1-3 months. After this shelter can be removed. When 3 real leaves appear on the seedlings, they are dived into separate pots with loose, fertile soil. Flowering is expected no earlier than the fourth year after planting. In addition, this method of reproduction does not immediately determine the sex of the plant.
Aucuba cuttings root quite simply, therefore flower growers often prefer cuttings to sowing seeds. Cut apical shoots recommended in March-August. Each stalk should have 2-3 healthy leaves. Rooting is carried out in sandy peat soil or exclusively in sand. Soil temperature should be in the range + 22 ... + 24 ° C. Cuttings need to be sprayed daily. After rooting, they are transplanted into small separate pots with loose fertile soil.
Home Care
In order for the leaves of aucuba to maintain their attractiveness and the plants regularly increase in size, a number of care rules must be observed.
Planting and transplantation of plants is planned for early spring. You need to pick up a medium-sized pot. It should be slightly larger than the previous one, but not too spacious. Pebbles, expanded clay or fragments of red brick are poured at the bottom. The soil for aucuba should be loose and nutritious, and also have neutral acidity. Its composition includes turf and leafy soil, leafy humus, sand and peat. The transplant should be carried out with caution, as the roots break easily. This can lead to plant disease. During the procedure, it is recommended to carefully inspect the root system and remove rotten areas.
Aucuba must be grown in a well-lit place. The plant prefers bright diffused light. It is especially necessary for variegated varieties. Direct sunlight in hot weather or on a summer afternoon is contraindicated. It can cause burns.
The optimum air temperature for Aucuba is + 20 ... + 25 ° C. On hotter days, part of the foliage may be lost. In summer, it is useful to take the bushes to fresh air. They are shaded from direct sunlight and protected from drafts. In winter, it is recommended to lower the temperature slightly, but do not lower it below + 10 ... + 14 ° C.
Aucuba feels comfortable with normal room humidity. It is useful to periodically spray and bathe under a warm shower 2-3 times a year. In winter, when kept cold, bathing and spraying are contraindicated.
Water the aucub regularly, but in small portions. Between watering, the earth should dry 3-4 cm. The plant tolerates a little drought better than flooding the soil.
From April to October, aucub must be fed twice a month. It is recommended to alternate organic and mineral nutrition. For fertilizer use special compounds for decorative foliage plants.
So that the bushes of the aucubs have an attractive appearance, pinch the tops of shoots from an early age. This stimulates the formation of lateral processes. Every year, in early March, the aucuba is cut off and the crown is shaped.
Possible difficulties
In rooms with low temperature and high humidity, the aucub may suffer from fungal infections. They can affect the roots during excessive watering and stagnation of water in the soil. If aucuba leaves turn black, this is a sign of root rot. It is necessary to cut off all affected areas of the plant, carry out fungicide treatment and change the soil.
Most often on aucub spider mites, scale insects, thrips and mealybugs settle. Infected plants should be washed in the shower, collect insects and insecticide treated.
Healing properties
Aucuba juice contains chemical compounds that have antimicrobial properties. Leaves are applied to wounds and inflammations on the skin. Even just being in the room, the aucuba works. It purifies the air and also fights the spread of viruses and other pathogens.
However, aucuba can be dangerous. When working with it, you must be careful, because all parts of the plant are very poisonous. After contact with skin, wash your hands thoroughly. Plants protect from children and animals so that they do not eat fruits and leaves. Even a small bite can cause serious food poisoning, stomach irritation, and bleeding.
