This is a small genus of ten species of evergreen shrubs or small trees in the silk tassel family (Garryaceae) native to Asia. They can range in size from 6 to 32 feet tall and are generally found in warm, shady areas. The name is a Latinization of the Japanese Aokiba. They can be grown in part to full shade and even do well in a container. Plant in well-drained, moist soils with some organic matter. In hot summer areas, they will need more afternoon shade to prevent leaf scorch. Leaves can be green to variegated, glossy and showy. The shrubs are sometimes mistaken for laurels. There are also separate male and female plants in this genus. The small flowers are in loose cymes and are followed by red drupes. Additional Acuba images at Juniper Level Botanical Gardens Acubas Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Aphids, mealybugs and armored scales can be potential insect pests. Diseases include leaf spot diseases.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day) | Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 6 ft. 0 in. - 28 ft. 0 in. | Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
2 - Understory (15-40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Dense; Erect; Multi-stemmed
Texture
Coarse
Foliage
Broadleaf Evergreen
Leaf color
Gold/Yellow; Green; Variegated; White
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Lanceolate
Leaf margin
Serrate
Leaf feel
Glossy; Leathery
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Broadly lanceolate leaves are 3-10 inches long and 3/4 to 2.5 inches wide. They are green to variegated, leathery and glossy. Margins have a few large teeth for some species.
Flower color
Brown/Copper; Purple/Lavender
Flower form
Cyme
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Tiny purplish-brown flowers with 4 petals hang in loose cymes. Dioecious (male and female flowers on separate plants) with the male flowers in terminal cymes and female flowers in leaf axils.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Red/Burgundy
Fruit type
Drupe
Fruit value
Long-lasting; Showy
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Red drupes with 1 seed follow the flowers and last through spring
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
Fleshy stem that makes propagation easy.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Asia
Food & Medicine
Fruit type
Drupe
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Container; Lawn; Woodland
Landscape theme
Winter Garden
Design feature
Accent; Foundation Planting; Small Tree; Understory Tree