ShrubsGold Dust Aucuba
Aucuba japonica
Gold Dust Aucuba (Aucuba japonica) is a slow-growing shrub, hardy in USDA zones 6-9, that matures to about 6-10 ft × 5-9 ft. It does best in part shade and full shade with medium water needs in well-drained, moist and occasionally-dry soil. Expect purple and red blooms in spring. It stands up well to drought, pollution and salt.
- USDA zones
- 6-9
- Sun
- Part shade, Full shade
- Water
- Medium
- Mature size
- 6-10 ft × 5-9 ft
- Growth rate
- Slow
- Maintenance
- Low
- Soil
- Well-drained, Moist, Occasionally-dry, Occasionally-wet
- Bloom color
- Purple, Red
- Bloom season
- Spring
- Tough against
- Drought, Pollution, Salt
- Native to
- China, Taiwan, southern Japan
In the landscape
Data sources
Freeze survival
Will it survive your winters?
Hardiness zones show a normal bad winter. We check the worst one — Gold Dust Aucuba is hardy to about -10°F (estimated from USDA zone 6), so we'll score it against the real coldest nights your area has actually had.
Powered by ~35 years of daily lows from the nearest NOAA weather station. A risk read, not a guarantee — a sheltered spot or mature plant beats the odds.
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