Pollinator plant

Japanese Aucuba

Aucuba japonica

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Common names

35 names · 22 languages
EnglishYour language
  • Aucuba[1]
  • Blotched-Leaved Laurel[1]
  • Gold Dust[1]
+7 more namesShow fewer names
Other languages (21)
Dutch
French
Basque
  • Ereinotz nabarra[4]
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
  • 東瀛珊瑚[4]
Czech
  • aukuba japonská[4]
Danish
  • haveaucuba[4]
Estonian
  • Jaapani akuuba[4]
Finnish
  • kiiltopensas[4]
German
Hungarian
  • Japán Babérsom[4]
Italian
Japanese
  • アオキ[4]
  • アオキバ[4]
  • ヒロハノアオキ[4]
+1 more nameShow fewer names
  • ヤマタケ[4]
Korean
Lithuanian
  • Japoninė aukuba[4]
Polish
  • aukuba japońska[4]
Russian
  • Аукуба японская[4]
Slovak
  • aukuba japonská[4]
Spanish
Swedish
Turkish
Sources & name notes (4)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Catalogue language labels are reviewed separately from botanical source records.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Aucuba japonica — Plant Toolbox common names ↗

NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox; English common names in a United States horticultural reference.

Source records
  • Japanese Laurel — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(6); heading: Common Name(s):; Aucuba japonica.
  • Aucuba — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(1); heading: Common Name(s):; Aucuba japonica.
  • Blotched-Leaved Laurel — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(2); heading: Common Name(s):; Aucuba japonica.
  • Gold Dust — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(3); heading: Common Name(s):; Aucuba japonica.
  • Gold-Leaf Plant — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(4); heading: Common Name(s):; Aucuba japonica.
  • Japan Laurel — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(7); heading: Common Name(s):; Aucuba japonica.
  • Japanese Aucuba — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(5); heading: Common Name(s):; Aucuba japonica.
  • Spotted Laurel — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(8); heading: Common Name(s):; Aucuba japonica.
  • Variegated Laurel — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(9); heading: Common Name(s):; Aucuba japonica.
[2] Aucuba japonica — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy. This is a common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • Japanese laurel — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 56206; Aucuba japonica.
  • Japanische Aukube — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 56206; Aucuba japonica.
  • Japanese acuba — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 56206; Aucuba japonica.
  • Japanese aucuba — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 56206; Aucuba japonica.
  • Spotted Laurel — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 56206; Aucuba japonica.
  • Laurel japonés — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 56206; Aucuba japonica.
  • Aucuba du Japon — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 56206; Aucuba japonica.
  • Aucuba giapponese — results[0].names[21]; taxon id 56206; Aucuba japonica.
  • Broodboom — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 56206; Aucuba japonica.
[3] Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Aucuba japonica ↗

Common names from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20. License: CC BY.

Source records
  • Japanese Laurel — VernacularName.tsv, line 154727; taxon JPKH.
  • Spotted Laurel (EN) — VernacularName.tsv, line 154728; taxon JPKH.
[4] Aucuba japonica — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • Japanese laurel — results[5].names[2]; taxon id 56206; Aucuba japonica.
  • Japanische Aukube — results[5].names[10]; taxon id 56206; Aucuba japonica.
  • Japanese acuba — results[5].names[16]; taxon id 56206; Aucuba japonica.
  • Japanese aucuba — results[5].names[1]; taxon id 56206; Aucuba japonica.
  • Spotted Laurel — results[5].names[7]; taxon id 56206; Aucuba japonica.
  • Laurel japonés — results[5].names[5]; taxon id 56206; Aucuba japonica.
  • Aucuba du Japon — results[5].names[4]; taxon id 56206; Aucuba japonica.
  • Aucuba giapponese — results[5].names[21]; taxon id 56206; Aucuba japonica.
  • Broodboom — results[5].names[13]; taxon id 56206; Aucuba japonica.
  • アオキ — results[5].names[3]; taxon id 56206; Aucuba japonica.
  • 東瀛珊瑚 — results[5].names[6]; taxon id 56206; Aucuba japonica.
  • aukuba japonská — results[5].names[8]; taxon id 56206; Aucuba japonica.
  • Аукуба японская — results[5].names[9]; taxon id 56206; Aucuba japonica.
  • aukuba japonská — results[5].names[11]; taxon id 56206; Aucuba japonica.
  • 青木 — results[5].names[12]; taxon id 56206; Aucuba japonica.
  • 식나무 — results[5].names[14]; taxon id 56206; Aucuba japonica.
  • aukuba — results[5].names[15]; taxon id 56206; Aucuba japonica.
  • Jaapani akuuba — results[5].names[17]; taxon id 56206; Aucuba japonica.
  • aukuba japońska — results[5].names[18]; taxon id 56206; Aucuba japonica.
  • Japoninė aukuba — results[5].names[19]; taxon id 56206; Aucuba japonica.
  • haveaucuba — results[5].names[20]; taxon id 56206; Aucuba japonica.
  • Japán Babérsom — results[5].names[22]; taxon id 56206; Aucuba japonica.
  • kiiltopensas — results[5].names[23]; taxon id 56206; Aucuba japonica.
  • アオキバ — results[5].names[24]; taxon id 56206; Aucuba japonica.
  • ヒロハノアオキ — results[5].names[25]; taxon id 56206; Aucuba japonica.
  • ヤマタケ — results[5].names[26]; taxon id 56206; Aucuba japonica.
  • Ereinotz nabarra — results[5].names[27]; taxon id 56206; Aucuba japonica.
  • Akuba — results[5].names[28]; taxon id 56206; Aucuba japonica.
Plant references

Source-backed information

Published observations for this plant. Each reference supports the information beside it.

Taxonomy
Aucuba japonica is an accepted species in Catalogue of Life.

Taxonomic treatment in the August 2026 release; the catalogue record name is preserved.

Sources [1]
Botanical family
Garryaceae

Family in the cited taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1]
Mature height
1.83–3.05 m

NC State Extension profile. Converted from the source range in feet and inches; mature size varies with growing conditions.

Sources [2]
Mature spread
1.22–1.83 m

NC State Extension profile. Converted from the source range in feet and inches; mature size varies with growing conditions.

Sources [2]
Plant habit
Arching; Dense; Erect; Rounded

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Life cycle
Perennial

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Growth rate
Slow

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Foliage
Broadleaf Evergreen

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day); Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight); Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Moisture and drainage
Good Drainage; Moist; Occasionally Dry; Occasionally Wet

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Flowering season
Spring

NC State Extension profile. Seasons reflect the source region and do not verify the catalogue’s exact flowering months.

Sources [2]
Native range
SE. China to Temp. E. Asia.

Explicit native locality records in Kew WCVP v16; introduced and doubtful distributions excluded. Continent conversion follows the documented geographic mapping.

Sources [3]
Catalogue ratings

Who this plant supports

Honey bees

Low suitability
Nectar value Low
Pollen value Low
Plant profile

About this plant

Japanese laurel (Aucuba japonica) is a shrub. It flowers in April.

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Catalogue of Life Aucuba japonica — Catalogue of Life COL26.8

    COL26.8 (2026-08-20). Contributing checklist: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World. This is taxonomic evidence, not an independent ecological study.

    Supports: TaxonomyBotanical family
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: NameUsage.tsv line 4894337; ID JPKH; rank species; status accepted
    • Botanical family: NameUsage.tsv line 4894337; ID JPKH; rank species; status accepted

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 4.0.

  2. NC State Extension Aucuba japonica — Plant Toolbox

    NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Growing conditions and seasons reflect its United States horticultural context.

    Supports: Mature heightMature spreadPlant habitLife cycleGrowth rateFoliageLightMoisture and drainageSoil textureFlowering season
    Relevant sections
    • Mature height: Dimensions / Height
    • Mature spread: Dimensions / Width
    • Plant habit: Habit/Form
    • Life cycle: Life Cycle
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Foliage: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
    • Light: Light
    • Moisture and drainage: Soil Drainage
    • Soil texture: Soil Texture
    • Flowering season: Flower Bloom Time

    Source checked on .

  3. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Aucuba japonica — Kew WCVP native distribution

    Native distribution and taxonomic treatment from the official WCVP v16 export (4 June 2026). The link opens the corresponding POWO taxon. Source rows are retained in the native-range audit archive.

    Supports: Native range
    Relevant sections
    • Native range: WCVP v16; wcvp_names.csv lines 960746; wcvp_distribution.csv native locality lines 23509, 23510, 23511, 23512, 23513

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.