Gold Dust Aucuba
Aucuba japonica ‘Variegata’
Plant Details
USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 7a-10b Find Your Zone
Plant Type: Evergreen Shrub
Height at Maturity: 5-6′
Width at Maturity: 4-6′
Spacing: 4′ for solid hedges; 8′ for space between plants
Growth Habit / Form: Dense, Mounding, Upright
Growth Rate: Moderate
Flower Color: NA
Flower Size: NA
Flowering Period: NA
Flower Type: NA
Fragrant Flowers: NA
Foliage Color: Very Deep Green
Fragrant Foliage: No
Sun Needs: Shade or Mostly Shade, Morning Sun with Afternoon Shade
Water Needs: Low Once Established
Soil Type: Clay (Amended), Loam, Sand, Silt
Soil Moisture / Drainage: Well Drained Lightly Moist, Well Drained Dry
Soil pH: 6.0 – 7.5
Maintenance / Care: Low
Attracts: Visual Attention
Resistances: Deer – more info, Disease, Drought, Dry Soil, Heat, Heavy Shade, Insect
Description
Sporting bold, tropical-like dark green leaves that look as though they’ve been heavily speckled with yellow paint, the Gold Dust Aucuba is one of the easiest to grow, lowest maintenance, most attractive plants in our shade garden and will surely light up the shady areas of your garden. Because no other plants share similar foliage, this Aucuba is an indispensable shade plant that compliments all other plants nearby.
Landscape & Garden Uses
Growing 5 to 6 feet tall and wide and handling dense shade to part shade, Gold Dust Aucuba is ideal as an accent or in groupings under the canopies of large shade trees and in other shady areas. They are also great for use in landscape borders and home foundation plantings as an accent, natural hedge, or in small to large groupings. It’s tropical-looking evergreen leaves make Gold Dust Aucuba plants a perfect choice for bringing a flare of the tropics to your landscape, perennial shade garden or rock and Xeriscape (low water needs) gardens. What’s more…you can grow this flashy beauty year-round indoors as a houseplant!
Suggested Spacing: 4 feet apart for solid hedges; 8 feet or more apart for space between plants
Note: For our customers who live and garden north of USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 7a, where this Aucuba variety is not reliably winter hardy outdoors, you can enjoy it in containers as a year-round houseplant or that can be kept outside during the warm seasons and moved indoors during winter.
Growing Preferences
Aucuba are very easy to grow and low maintenance plants that like a moist to somewhat dry well-drained soil of average fertility and shade to part shade. As with so many other ornamental shrubs, constantly soggy or wet soils are problematic. Aucuba thrive in the shadiest of spots, even under the canopies of large trees and decks where lawn grass and many other plants are difficult to grow. Morning and evening sun are fine but avoid exposure to direct afternoon sun, which can scorch leaves.
Helpful Articles
Click on the link below to find helpful advice from our experts on how to plant and care for Aucuba plants.
How To Plant & Care For Aucuba Plants
Plant Long & Prosper!
Meet The Wilson Brothers & Staff
Questions? Contact Us!
It is surviving so far. I don’t know how long it will be in good condition. Normally plants do not grow any larger and die out. It is almost like cut flowers; for a while they are O.K., but do not last long due to very shady surroundings.—————————————————–Hopefully it will thrive. We are so glad you are pleased with your purchase! Thanks for the review! Beth | WBG 🙂
Plant was packed very well and very healthy. Looking forward to watching it grow.——————————————————We are so glad you are pleased with your purchase! Thanks for the great review! Beth | WBG 🙂
The gold dust aucuba survived days in a box and looked just like local nursery 3 gallon aucuba. Have been in the ground for a couple of weeks and looking good!!—————————————————We are so glad you are pleased with your purchase! Thanks for the kind words and great review! Beth | WBG 🙂
This is the third time I have purchased plants from Wilson Bros. Each time the plants arrive healthy and well packaged. It is worth it to buy from a company who you can trust will send a healthy well sized plant!——————————————————We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG
I have purchased all kinds of products on line for years and have never written a review. I felt I needed to write a review not only for this plant but also Wilson Bros. In addition to Gold Dust Aucuba 3 gallon I also purchased Silver Smoke Arizona Cypress, 1 gallon. I am more then happy with my purchase, the cost of my purchase and the condition the plants arrived in. Plants look super healthy and the quick delivery, packaging and customer service was excellent. I have attached a pick of the plants I purchased. The Gold Dust Aucuba is still in it’s pot that it arrived in and the Silver Smoke I have repotted. I do a lot of landscaping and will certainly return to look for future plants. FYI, I was not asked or offered any incentive write a review .——————————————–Thanks so much for the photo! We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG
I was so excited to see this beautiful and colorful plant. I planted it near the road to show it off.————————————–Thanks for the photo! We are so glad you are pleased with your purchase! Thanks for the great review! Beth | WBG 🙂
This plant came packed very well and was well hydrated before shipping. It is growing nicely with no issues. Very pleased.———————————————————-We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG
After seeing a few mature Japanese Laurel trees in Virginia I became desirous of planting 2 in my yard. Although one can be leery of ordering plants on line I was impressed with the two specimens I received. Really nice looking and great plants, shipped quickly and packed in a careful manner that didn’t allow for damage. They are now planted in my yard and I look forward to their progression. I would have no hesitation in ordering vegetation from your company again in the future. Thank you.———————————-We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the great review and the kind words! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG
I cannot describe the beauty of these plants. The plants arrived in pristine condition. They look just like the picture. They are doing very well in my shady area of the yard. Wilson Bros Gardens did it again. Awesome!!——————————–We are so glad you are pleased with your purchase! Thanks for the kind words and great review! Beth | WBG 🙂
Bought a couple of these, and the plants arrived in great shape. Looked lovely and delivery was prompt. My only doubt was hardiness, but that may never be tested now because the deer like them even more than I do. Obviously not the fault of the supplier, and I wouldn’t hesitate to buy again from them.——————————-Oh noooooooo!! Try Deer Away or Milorganite, But we are glad you are pleased with your purchase! Thanks for the great review! Beth | WBG 🙂
This item was received promptly and packaged very securely. I planted it as soon as it arrived and it is thriving (so far) in my garden. I am very happy with my purchase and intend on purchasing more items in the future from Wilson Bros—————————————We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG
My 3 plants arrived in DC by Fed Ex in great shape, and on time (6 days afer the “delayed delivery” date I’d chosen). My garderner said they were well-packed and healthy, not dry or crushed. I appreciated the detailed planting instructions online. I bought a Delta Fusion crepe myrtle, Bananappeal, and Gold Dust Aucuba. I found Wilson Bros. on a site that recommended online nurseries and am really happy that I chose them over Sooners in OK. I’m so glad they are here and now I hope I can keep them growing!———————————————-We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG
Plants (2) both in great shape. Very well packed to withstand problems with our delivery drivers. Well done WB!——————————We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG
Thank you. You guys have been awesome to work with; your plants have been lovely.————————————————Thanks you so much for letting us know, we are so glad you are pleased! 🙂 Beth | WBG
beautiful plants strong root system and awesome packing——————————————We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG
The plants arrived on time and were packaged well They are planted in dappled shade and seem to be doing well. The speckled yellow and green leaves are attractive.————————————-We are so glad you are pleased! Beth | WBG
I needed a deer resistant evergreen in a part shade location.. The laurel arrived in great shape and is doing very well. I would order again from the Wilson Brothers.————————————–Thanks for the great review! Beth | WBG
After having trouble finding the Aucuba Japonica locally, I tried out Wilson Bros for the first time and was very impressed! Plants arrived quickly, packed very well, and were all very fine, healthy specimens. Thank you Wilson Bros.————————–WBG Reply: Hi James, Thanks so much for taking the time to provide your review of the Gold Dust Aucuba. We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come!
Beth Steele | Wilson Bros Gardens
Beth Steele | Wilson Bros Gardens
Very good quality and superior service.—————————-WBG Reply: Hi Melih, Thanks so much for taking the time to provide your review of the Gold Dust Aucuba. We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come!
Beth Steele | Wilson Bros Gardens
Beth Steele | Wilson Bros Gardens
User friendly site; confirmation of activity prompt and correct. Delivery safely packaged and prompt. Will do business again with this company…….Highly Recommend!
I had been searching locally for a Gold Dust Aucuba for several months but they don’t seem to sell them in the Jacksonville area. I reluctantly decided to purchase one online and was very pleased when a good sized plant arrived in great shape. It’s now thriving in a planter on my 11th floor condo walkway.




















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