PalmsNorth.com – Cold Hardy Palm Forum
Growing palms and tropicals in cold climates
Notifications
Clear all
Other Plants of Interest
9 Posts
6 Users
0 Reactions
4,916 Views
Topic starter
Spring is here.....Aucuba japonica is starting to grow.
<a href="http://www.wunderground.com/US/MA/Seekonk.html?bannertypeclick=bigwx"><img src="http://weathersticker.wunderground.com/weathersticker/bigwx_both_cond/language/www/US/MA/Seekonk.gif" alt="Click for Seekonk, Massachusetts Forecast" border="0" height="60" width="468" />
Posted : 17/04/2011 5:51 pm
Oh... If only it was hardy here... A nice looking plant for sure.
Posted : 17/04/2011 9:33 pm
Dead again here.
Doesn't Tony Avent say he considers a plant hardy until he has killed it three times?
Well, this makes three for me. I just can't get it through the winter.
However, folks who live in the actual urban heat island of Tulsa can grow them.
If I'm really dumb I'll try again. 4th times the charm, they say 😕
--Erik
Posted : 17/04/2011 9:53 pm
Topic starter
Erik,
I lived in Shawnee, OK for a few summers. I think the soil has a high pH out there. Aucubas probably love low pH soils like we have in Massachusetts. Perhaps amending the soil to drop the pH will help.
<a href="http://www.wunderground.com/US/MA/Seekonk.html?bannertypeclick=bigwx"><img src="http://weathersticker.wunderground.com/weathersticker/bigwx_both_cond/language/www/US/MA/Seekonk.gif" alt="Click for Seekonk, Massachusetts Forecast" border="0" height="60" width="468" />
Posted : 17/04/2011 10:35 pm
Tim,
I'll check soil pH.
I assume I have dropped my pH with all the horse manure/pine shavings (horse bedding) I put down but don't know for sure.
I know that other folks in town can grow Aucuba. They were a staple in Oregon where I grew up so I'd like at least one here.
I also know mine get more summer sun (June, July) than they like.
🙁
--Erik
Posted : 17/04/2011 10:41 pm
Here is a picture of my Aucuba that has been growing in my garden for 20 years at least. 
<img src="http://weathersticker.wunderground.com/weathersticker/cgi-bin/banner/ban/wxBanner?bannertype=wu_clean2day_metric_cond&airportcode=UAAA&ForcedCity=Almaty&ForcedState=Kazakhstan&wmo=36870&language=EN" alt="Find more about Weather in Almaty, KZ" width="300" />
Posted : 18/04/2011 2:51 am
Topic starter
Nice Igor!
<a href="http://www.wunderground.com/US/MA/Seekonk.html?bannertypeclick=bigwx"><img src="http://weathersticker.wunderground.com/weathersticker/bigwx_both_cond/language/www/US/MA/Seekonk.gif" alt="Click for Seekonk, Massachusetts Forecast" border="0" height="60" width="468" />
Posted : 18/04/2011 7:16 am
Tim,
I'll check soil pH.
I assume I have dropped my pH with all the horse manure/pine shavings (horse bedding) I put down but don't know for sure.I know that other folks in town can grow Aucuba. They were a staple in Oregon where I grew up so I'd like at least one here.
I also know mine get more summer sun (June, July) than they like.
🙁--Erik
Can you grow one in shade? I think we are the same zone, but we might get more rain than you. They grow like crazy here. I have 4 and the two in shade do much better than the two that are not.
Posted : 18/04/2011 11:33 am
Nice pic, Igor! Do you protect it during the winter?
<img src="http://weathersticker.wunderground.com/weathersticker/big2_both_cond/language/www/global/stations/71601.gif" alt="Click for Shearwater, Nova Scotia Forecast" border="0" height="60" width="468" />
Posted : 18/04/2011 2:19 pm
