Skimmia japonica

Skimmia japonica
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Sapindales
Family: Rutaceae
Genus: Skimmia
Species:
S. japonica
Binomial name
Skimmia japonica

Skimmia japonica, the Japanese skimmia,[1] is a species of flowering plant in the family Rutaceae, native to Japan, China, and Southeast Asia. Growing to 6 m (20 ft) tall and wide, it is a rounded evergreen shrub with glossy, leathery leaves.[2] It is widely cultivated as an ornamental plant in gardens and parks. Its fragrant flowers are cream-yellow or white, followed on female plants by small, round, red fruits. The plant tolerates a wide range of conditions, including frost, drought, and atmospheric pollution. It is suitable for bonsai and for Chinese gardens.

Many cultivars have been developed for ornamental garden use, including varieties which are significantly more compact than their parents. These cultivars have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit:-[3]


  • Mature fruits
    Mature fruits
  • Inflorescence
    Inflorescence
  1. ^ USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "​Skimmia japonica​". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
  2. ^ RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants. United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. 2008. p. 1136. ISBN 1405332964.
  3. ^ "AGM Plants - Ornamental" (PDF). Royal Horticultural Society. July 2017. p. 97. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
  4. ^ "RHS Plant Selector - Skimmia japonica 'Fragrans'". Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  5. ^ "RHS Plant Selector - Skimmia japonica 'Nymans'". Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  6. ^ "RHS Plant Selector - Skimmia japonica 'Rubella'". Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  7. ^ "RHS Plant Selector - Skimmia x confusa 'Kew Green'". Retrieved 5 March 2021.