Skimmias are popular evergreen shrubs, offering year-round interest with attractive foliage, fragrant flowers, and vibrant berries. Their consistent beauty through different seasons makes them a favored choice for many gardeners, adding color and texture to various landscape designs.
Understanding Skimmia
Skimmias are slow-growing, broadleaf evergreen shrubs, typically forming dense, mounded shapes. Most varieties generally reach heights between 0.5 to 1.5 meters (1.6 to 5 feet).
These plants feature leathery, oval, dark green leaves, often clustered at branch ends. In spring, Skimmia produces clusters of small, fragrant flowers, usually white or creamy yellow, which emerge from buds that form in autumn and persist through winter. Female Skimmia plants, when pollinated, develop distinctive red berries that ripen in fall and remain on the plant throughout winter, providing extended visual interest. Skimmias are hardy and thrive in partial to full shade, making them suitable for woodland gardens or shaded borders.
Exploring Skimmia Varieties
Skimmia varieties are typically either male or female (dioecious). Male plants produce larger, more fragrant flowers, while female plants produce berries if pollinated by a nearby male. Some varieties are self-fertile (hermaphrodite), producing both male and female flowers, allowing them to bear berries without a separate male plant. However, even self-fertile types often benefit from a nearby male for more abundant berry production.
‘Rubella’ is a well-known male variety, compact at 0.75 to 1.2 meters (2.5 to 4 feet) tall and wide. It features reddish, deep green leaves and striking dark red flower buds that provide winter interest before opening into fragrant white flowers in spring. ‘Rubella’ is frequently used as a pollinator for female skimmias. Female Skimmia japonica plants produce bright red berries after pollination and have glossy, leathery, dark green leaves.
Skimmia × confusa ‘Kew Green’ is a male hybrid, 0.6 to 1.5 meters (2 to 5 feet) tall and wide, known for its fragrant greenish-yellow flowerheads that open to creamy-white flowers in spring. This variety tolerates full sun, unlike many other skimmias, though it also thrives in partial shade. ‘Godrie’s Dwarf’ is another compact male variety, forming a dome-shaped mound of glossy leaves, reaching 0.5 to 0.75 meters (1.6 to 2.5 feet) tall and wide. It produces dense panicles of pink buds that open to tiny, fragrant, creamy-white flowers in spring.
‘Magic Marlot’ is a dwarf male Skimmia, 0.3 to 1 meter (1 to 3.3 feet) tall and wide, prized for its unique variegated foliage with cream or golden yellow edges. Its white flower buds change to pink or red through autumn and winter, opening into fragrant white flowers in spring. This variety does not produce berries. ‘White Dwarf’ is another compact male cultivar, forming a low, rounded mound 0.5 to 0.75 meters (1.6 to 2.5 feet) tall and wide. It is valued for its dense, aromatic, deep green leaves and clusters of fragrant creamy-white flowers that emerge from winter buds.
Selecting the Ideal Skimmia Variety
Choosing the right Skimmia variety involves considering desired aesthetic outcomes and specific garden conditions. If the primary goal is vibrant red berries, select a female variety and ensure a male pollinator is nearby. For smaller spaces or containers, compact varieties like ‘Godrie’s Dwarf’ or ‘Magic Marlot’ are suitable choices.
Gardeners should also evaluate light availability; while most skimmias prefer shade, varieties such as ‘Kew Green’ can tolerate more sun. Consider foliage color and texture, as well as flower color and fragrance. For instance, ‘Rubella’ offers striking red buds and reddish-tinged leaves, while ‘Magic Marlot’ provides unique variegated foliage. Understanding these characteristics allows for a selection that aligns with specific garden design preferences and environmental needs.
Basic Skimmia Cultivation
Skimmia plants thrive in moist, well-drained soil rich in organic matter, with a pH ranging from acidic to neutral. While they tolerate various soil types, avoid excessively wet or very dry conditions. Skimmias perform best in partial to full shade, as direct afternoon sun can scorch their leaves, leading to yellowing.
Consistent moisture is important, especially for newly planted shrubs. Once established, skimmias are relatively drought-tolerant, though additional watering may be needed during prolonged dry periods. Light feeding with a balanced granular plant food in spring supports healthy growth. Minimal pruning is required, primarily for shaping or removing dead or damaged branches, ideally after flowering to preserve berries on female plants.