Most people probably see the name Skimmia and think of Skimmia japonica, the more popular landscape shrub in this genus. It's certainly the plant I thought I was encountering at Longwood Gardens on Monday.
Above, you can see the flower buds are set - they will bloom between March and April - and fruit from last year's blossoms. The foliage is a darkish green, though far lighter than the leaves of other broadleaf evergreens like holly or rhododendron.
The pith of the Skimmia stem has a tangy fragrance to it, and indeed most plants in the Rutaceae family have strong scents - this is the family that includes the Citrus genus. Which means the plant you are looking at in this post is a distant relative to oranges, lemons, limes and other citrus fruits.
Thanks Jennifer! How does Skimmia do in shade/sunlight? It seems like a perfect understory plant but the reference to Citrus makes me think it must need full sun...
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for asking -- the plant does quite well in shade. That, along with its compact nature, makes it all the more valuable to a homeowner. I should add that it can be temperamental - it likes a loose light soil and while it's said it can handle a more basic pH, others swear it needs an acid soil. Also, if Skimmia is unhappy it will become chlorotic immediately.
ReplyDeleteI've always shied away from Skimmia in the eastern US. It's one of those 'west coast' plants that looks great in a book and zoned property, but in the landscape - crash and burn. I've wondered if it's climatic requirements are such that it needs more of a Pacific Northwest environment.
ReplyDeleteI think for a garden setting where someone is going to fuss over it on a daily basis, it is a greta plant. For a commercial application, I would avoid it.