Skimmia 'Kew Green'

Sun

Partial shade is best; tolerates deeper shade but flowers less freely. Avoid hot afternoon sun and exposed, drying sites.

Water

Keep the root zone evenly moist but not waterlogged. Water during dry spells, especially while establishing and when grown in containers.

Soil

Humus-rich, well-drained, acidic to neutral soil. Avoid chalky or strongly alkaline soil.

Height

3-5 ft (0.9-1.5 m)

Spread

4-5 ft (1.2-1.5 m)

Flowers

Fragrant cream to greenish-white flowers in spring, opening from conspicuous greenish buds held through winter.

Foliage

Evergreen. Leathery, glossy, dark green leaves, aromatic when crushed.

Growth

Slow

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Deer resistant
• Low allergen
• Fragrant

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1.6 ft (0.5 m)

2. After 1 year

   1.9 ft (0.59 m)

3. After 2 years

   2.2 ft (0.68 m)

4. After 3 years

   2.5 ft (0.76 m)

5. After 5 years

   3 ft (0.94 m)

About 8 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Mildly toxic: may upset a stomach

Growth rate

Slow

• Water deeply during dry weather; do not let newly planted shrubs dry out.
• Apply leaf mould or composted bark in spring, keeping it clear of the stems.
• Feed lightly in spring with an ericaceous fertiliser if growth is weak or the plant is in a container.
• Use ericaceous compost in pots and make sure drainage holes remain clear.
• Shelter from cold, drying winds and strong afternoon sun.

Pruning. Little pruning is needed. After flowering, remove dead or damaged shoots and lightly shorten any stems that spoil the outline; avoid routine hard clipping.

Early spring

Check soil moisture and apply a light feed if needed.

Spring

Mulch with leaf mould or composted bark, leaving a gap around the stems.

Late spring

After flowering, remove damaged growth and lightly tidy the shape.

Summer

Water during dry spells and check container plants frequently.

Late summer

Take semi-ripe cuttings if you want more plants of the same cultivar.

Autumn

Plant while the soil is moist and workable, and water thoroughly.

Winter

Protect container roots from prolonged freezing and shelter foliage from drying winds.

• Place beside a shaded entrance or path where the spring fragrance can be noticed.
• Use beneath deciduous trees with ferns and hellebores for a layered woodland planting.
• Grow in a large shaded container for evergreen structure and winter buds.
• Plant in small groups along a sheltered border to provide a steady green backdrop for seasonal flowers.

Garden styles it suits: Woodland, Winter interest, Sensory garden, Modern courtyard, Traditional and Low-maintenance.

Plant it with: Hellebores, Japanese painted fern, Epimedium, Japanese pieris, Camellias and Snowdrops.

Wildlife: Spring flowers provide nectar and pollen for visiting insects. This male cultivar produces no berries for birds.

• Yellow leaves with green veins often indicate alkaline soil: check soil pH and grow in ericaceous compost if the ground is unsuitable.
• Scorched or bleached leaves usually result from strong sun or drying winds: provide shade, shelter and consistent moisture.
• Root rot can develop in waterlogged soil: improve drainage and avoid leaving pots standing in water.
• Vine weevil larvae can damage roots, especially in pots: inspect declining plants and use an appropriate biological control when soil temperatures allow.

Treat all parts as harmful if eaten by people, cats or dogs; ingestion may cause stomach upset, vomiting or diarrhoea. Horse-specific information is limited, so keep it out of grazing areas. This male cultivar does not normally bear fruit.

• Skimmia 'Rubella' (Skimmia japonica 'Rubella')

  Also a male evergreen skimmia, but its winter flower buds are distinctly reddish rather than the greenish buds of 'Kew Green'.

• Japanese skimmia 'Reevesiana' (Skimmia japonica subsp. reevesiana)

  Usually smaller and narrower-leaved, with self-fertile flowers followed by red berries; 'Kew Green' is male and does not fruit.

Skimmia derives from the Japanese name shikimi, originally applied to Japanese star anise.

Propagation. Take semi-ripe cuttings in late summer and root them in a free-draining medium with protection from drying out. Cuttings preserve the cultivar; seed will not.

Accepted botanical name

Skimmia confusa

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.