skimmia japonica

( SKIM - ee - uh      juh - PON - ick - uh )

At-A-Glance Information

​This species of evergreen shrubs, also known as Japanese Skimmia, grows well in zones 4-9 and 14-22, though it is best in zones 4-6 and 17 (to find your zone, click here: Zone Map), and needs partial shade and regular water to perform well. This is a handsome foliage shrub native to temperate areas of China and Japan and reaches 5 feet tall and 6 feet wide slowly. Leaves are glossy and green and flowers are white (opening from pink-red buds). Blooms have a slight fragrance to them. In fall and winter, female plants will produce red berries if a male plant is nearby for pollination. These plants are great along walkways and in containers on patios or terraces. Variety Skimmia japonica reevesiana is a dwarf selection reaching 1.5-2 feet tall and 2-3 feet wide; it is self-fruiting and has dull crimson-colored berries. The genus Skimmia includes four species and is a member of the plant family Rutaceae. 

Caring for and pruning skimmia japonica shrubs

Plant your Skimmia shrub in partial shade to full shade. The ideal planting site is a place that gets morning sun with afternoon filtered shade is ideal, but these shrubs can tolerate more shade than many others. Japanese Skimmia shrubs prefer soil to have a pH of between 5.6 and 6.0. Amend soil with plenty of organic matter before planting, and ensure that soil is well-draining. Keep soil consistently moist, especially during the flowering and fruiting season. Mulch around the base of the plant to increase soil moisture retention. Fertilize with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer at half-strength in springtime. Avoid over-feeding these shrubs, as this can lead to excessive foliage growth at the expense of flowering.

Pruning these shrubs is relatively straightforward. The best time to prune is in late springtime or early summer, when the shrub can be trimmed to shape and remove dead or damaged foliage or branches. If you are pruning to increase berry production, leave female plants unpruned to encourage berry formation, and prune male plants lightly in springtime (excessive growth can impede pollen production).

Propagation

Skimmia japonica can be propagated either by using cuttings or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the cutting method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your shrub, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Skimmia japonica by Cutting
  1. Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand.
  2. In spring or early summertime, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 6 inch portion(s) of the end of a non-blooming branch and strip the leaves off of the lower half. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
  3. Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm, sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about four to six weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth on your propagated Abutilon, you'll know you have roots. 
  4. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new shrub.

Propagating Skimmia japonica by Seed
  1. Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand. You will also, after a few weeks, need individual 3-inch pots for each seedling that grows.
  2. Harvest your seeds. The seed pods are pretty easy to spot, they're left behind after flowers have faded. Once they have dried out and begun to split open, you can harvest the seeds inside. Cut them off of the plant, placing them in a paper bag. Harvest as many as you can, and place the paper bag in a dry, cool, dark area. They will begin to split open and release the seeds contained inside. Once they have been released, take them out of the bag and put them in a container so you can work with them.
  3. Skimmia japonica seeds have a hard coating that protects them, but this coating also makes it a little difficult to get them to germinate. We can help the process along by soaking the seeds in warm water for 24 hours to help soften the seed coat. Do this with as many seeds as you can; they will probably not all sow, and the ones that do will be of varying characteristics. The more seeds you plant, the more chances you will have to get the resulting shrub you want.
  4. Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 7-14 days from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
  5. Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.
Skimmia japonica seeds are contained inside the fruit produced by female plants, and are only viable if there is a male plant nearby.
Skimmia japonica seeds.

Problems and Pests

Skimmia japonica shrubs are susceptible to the following issues:
  • Thrips
  • Red Spider Mites
For more information on these issues, including how to eradicate them, see the following links:
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Gallery

Japanese Skimmia shrubs bloom profusely.
Skimmia japonica reevesiana is a dwarf form great for small spaces.
Japanese Skimmia shrubs are beautiful, even out of flower and fruiting seasons.

Videos

All about Japanese Skimmia shrubs.
Japanese Skimmia is great for adding color to winter landscapes.

Resources

Wikipedia: Skimmia japonica
Wikipedia: Skimmia
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Pages 604 - 605, Skimmia japonica
If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or photos you’d like to add to the gallery, please let me know by sending me a message using the button below!
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