When should I cut back japonica?

6 years ago

Hi! We have a japonica shrub planted by the last owners at least 15 years ago, probably longer. I haven’t seen others like it in the area. I love it but it needs to be cut back , and I’d love to grow some more if this.

We live in South Jersey, zone 7a. The shrub is I poor soil on the northeast wall of the garage. We have not had a frost yet.

Thanks very much! I love this shrub because of the dark green leaves and the fact it’s thrivibg against the odds. I think we are at the northern limit?

Featured Answer

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)

6 years ago

Yes, this shrub will tolerate hard pruning well. But it may not look very attractive for a while!

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Comments (9)

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
6 years ago
First, there is no such thing as a "japonica" plant :-) 'Japonica' is a species name that usually indicates that the plant originated from Japan. But literally dozens, if not hundreds, of plants have that species name, so using that terminology is rife with confusion!! Could be Camellia japonica, Fatsia japonica, Pieris japonica, Aucuba japonica, Cleyera japonica, Skimmia japonica, Chaenomeles japonica........all of these can be - and have been - referred to as "japonicas"!!

As best as I can tell from the photos, yours appears to be an Aucuba, but not certain if it is indeed A. japonica (possibly serratifolia?). This is very tough, shade tolerant BLE shrub that normally require minimal pruning. If you need to reduce size, late winter or very early spring is the best time for pruning.
lavenderandchamomile thanked gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
Embothrium
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
'Serratifolia' is a cultivar of Aucuba japonica and not a separate species. For best appearance prune your aucuba down low, close to the ground when renewing it rather than snipping back branches part way, well above the ground. Of course, it being so close to the edge of the bed and it being genetically programmed to grow as big as it is now it is just going to keep resuming its current size between episodes of cutting back.
lavenderandchamomile thanked Embothrium
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lavenderandchamomile
Original Author
6 years ago
Hi gardengal48, embothrium - sorry, I posted before coffee this am. Yep, it is an Aucuba japonica. Thank you both for your help. When you say to prune it down low, Can I really prune it to downin late winter to within a foot of the ground without killing it? That would be my plan if possible.
Embothrium
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Best to cut this kind down to near the ground, rather than leaving significant sections of stem in place - some shrubs just don't look good coming back from cuts made well above the ground. You could do this as a maintenance procedure, as long as the specimen is not made to grow back too often. Which may prove hard to achieve when the discrepancy between the full width of the shrub and the size of the bed is so great. Instead it might be better to cut it down and then move it, furnish the bed with some smaller-growing kinds.
Mike McGarvey
6 years ago
They root very easy from cuttings. I just stick them in the ground in a damp shady spot. Once established they can handle relatively dry shade. The variegated forms are more popular here. Deer and elk like mine, but so far, haven't killed any.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
6 years ago
the base problem is that you have a root mass.. for the size you have right now ...

no matter how far you cut it back.. you might be surprised how fast it grows back ...

and was planted.. sited.. for the cute little plant it was in the pot ... with no real concept of its potential .... considering the side of the house and the driveway ...

i like mikes suggestion of rooting some more plants ... and finding some other place for them ... and thinking about removing this monster ...

in the mean time.. cut it back as suggested ...and see how fast it responds ... and then if it displeases you in a year or two ... removal will be less of a decision .. since you have others to enjoy ..

ken

ps: if you dont have a damp shady spot for rootings.. put a couple in a pot of damp media.. and put it near the spigot ... and keep it damp .... not sure if winter in your zone is the best timing for cuttings????
Embothrium
6 years ago
Aucuba will root even in a glass of water on a shelf inside the house, in the same general fashion as fuchsias.
Mike McGarvey
6 years ago
Yes, and since I have both male and female plants I get numerous seedlings that I have to remove occasionally.