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Probably the most free flowering skimmia. Deep purple/rich red tight flower buds during autumn and winter open to panicles of scented white flowers through into spring. Dense, aromatic bright green foliage often tinged pink at the leaf edges. Occasional berries follow.
This variety is male.
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Eventual Height (?)What does this mean?
Eventual Height
You can expect the plant to somewhere within this estimate. It is given as a guide but can vary dependant on several factors such as soil quality and position. 1m - 1.5m - Flower Colour (?)What does this mean?
Flower Colour
Flowers come in a vast variety of colours from pure white to almost black. Colour can be affected by a number of factors including environment and diet. Use the photographs as a guide but expect variations.White -
Eventual Spread (?)What does this mean?
Eventual Spread
You can expect the plant to spread somewhere within this range estimate. It is given as a guide but can vary dependant on several factors such as soil quality and position. 1m - 1.5m -
Flowering Time (?)What does this mean?
Flowering Time
A plants development is synchronised with the changing seasons and flowering is one of several changes that occur at the appropriate time of year dependent on the specific plant. While our meteorological seasons are defined by specific dates; there can be two or the weeks difference in the start and end of the horticultural 'season' between the north and south of the UK. Spring - Summer -
Foliage (?)What does this mean?
Evergreen
Plants that have leaves all year round are classified as evergreen. They can however lose leaves sporadically throughout the year.
Deciduous
Deciduous plants drop their leaves in autumn, look bare in winter and put out new leaves again in spring. Some plants such a Beech retain their dead leaves until the new spring growth.
Semi-evergreen
There are exceptions, some plant drop their leaves in cold winters but keep them if it is mild. These are classified as Semi-evergreen.
Evergreen - Position (?)What does this mean?
Full Sun
Six or more full hours of direct sunlight but don't forget to water.
Partial Shade
Two or three hours either in early morning or late evening sun. Very limited exposure to midday sun.
Dense Shade
Usually no more than two hours direct sunlight. Usually under dense trees, shurbs or in shade cast by buildings/fences etc.Partial shade - Growth Rate Average
- Soil pH (?)What does this mean?
Acid
Soil with a pH between 1 and 7 is classed as acid, ericaceous plants such as Rhododendrons need acid soil.
Neutral
A neutral pH which is around 7, will be suitable for most plants. Clay soils tend to be neutral.
Alkaline
Soil with a pH between 7 and 14 are refereed to as Alkaline. Chalky soil is usually Alkaline. Acid, Neutral -
Hardiness (?)What does this mean?
Fully Hardy
Hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (to -15)
Half Hardy
Hardy throughout most of the UK (to -10)
Frost Hardy
Hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of UK (to -5) Fully Hardy - Soil Type (?)What does this mean?
Chalk
Chalky or lime-rich soils may be light or heavy, largely made up of calcium carbonate and are very alkaline.
Clay
Clay soils are potentially fertile and hold a high proportion of water. They drain slowly and take longer to warm up in spring.
Loam
Loam soils are s mixture of clay, sand and silt that avoid the extremes of clay or sandy soils. Fertile, well-drained and easily worked.
Sand
Sandy soils have a low clay content, drain quickly, easy to cultivate and work. They can dry out quickly and are low in plant nutrients. Often very acidic.Loam, Sand - Fragranced Yes
- Soil Moisture (?)What does this mean?
Well Drained
Well-drained soil allows water to percolate through reasonably quickly without pooling. Well drained soil can often be dry and lack nutrients.
Poorly Drained
Poorly Drained soil is usually saturated periodically during the growing season and remains wet for several days at a time. Saturated soil can deprive roots of oxygen.
Moist Well Drained
A moist well drained soil is the best of both worlds by combining high permeability with the ability to retain moisture. Adding well rotted organic matter to dry or wet soil will help improve both these characteristics.Moist Well-drained
Buying Shrubs from Jacksons Nurseries
At Jacksons Nurseries we sell a variety of shrubs both evergreen and deciduous with a variety of flowering times throughout the year. At certain times of the year our shrubs you buy from us may not look like the images shown on our website when deciduous leaves have fallen, the shrub has finished flowering or has been trimmed back.
Some leaves on evergreen shrubs can be damaged in winter by frost or harsh winds but in spring new leaves will readily replace those damaged. This is quite normal on many evergreen varieties and is preferable to plants grown with excessive protection that show cold shock once planted out and establish less satisfactory initially.
Skimmia japonica 'Rubella'
Probably the most free flowering skimmia. Deep purple/rich red tight flower buds during autumn and winter open to panicles of scented white flowers through into spring. Dense, aromatic bright green foliage often tinged pink at the leaf edges. Occasional berries follow.
This variety is male.
- White
Partial shade
- Moist Well-drained
- Acid
- Neutral
- Loam
- Sand
Shrubs are deciduous or evergreen woody plants, and often provide fragrant flowers, berries and foliage. They are good for structural framework, and they can provide a wonderful shelter and food source for wildlife.
Planting and Conditions
Container grown shrubs can be grown at any time of year. It is a little known fact that shrubs planted in the autumn and winter will be easier to look after than those planted in the spring and summer, because they will have time to establish and become hardy in the cooler months.
Plant the shrub at the same depth as it was in its original pot. Planting too deeply can result in root and stem rot.
One of the biggest causes of death in new shrubs is drought stress, so keep it well watered until it’s established.
Make sure you loosen the soil prior to planting. Most shrubs are tolerant of most soil types as long as it is fairly well draining.
Most shrubs will grow happily in containers, but they will be much more demanding on feeding and watering than shrubs in the ground would be. They will also need potting on every couple of years so that they don’t suffocate or become stunted in their pot.
Aftercare and Pruning
Once established, shrubs generally do not require much water. However, at first they need careful, frequent watering and should not be left to dry out.
Shrubs in the ground are generally not demanding and in most cases, annual feeding with general purpose fertilizer will suffice. Shrubs in containers may need more feeding; usually from early spring until late summer.
Shrubs also benefit from mulching in order to supress weeds, conserve moisture and provide vital nutrients. Mulch also greatly improves soil conditions. Shrubs can be mulched in late winter, after fertiliser has been applied, but it can be mulched through autumn to late spring as long as the ground is damp.
All shrubs benefit from dead-heading once spent flowers become apparent. Rhododendrons and Lilac especially benefit from the removal of dead flowers.
Some shrubs may show signs of reverted growth or ‘sporting’. This is where random shoots of different leaves associated with the plant’s parentage begin to appear. Most commonly this is where plants with variegated leaves sprout pure green growths instead of variegated ones.
To control reversion, remove reverted shoots promptly to discourage them. Reverted shoots are usually much more vigorous than the variegated ones, and thus should be completely pruned out and cut back into wood containing variegated foliage.
Potential Issues
Although shrubs are usually very robust garden plants, they can sometimes start to decline with no apparent or obvious reason.
This will start with browning leaves, which could indicate plant stress due to lack of water or waterlogging, an establishment failure or, in the worst case scenario, honey fungus. Another cause of leaf browning is a high salt content in the soil. This could be a natural occurrence, especially if you live near the ocean, or it could be from over fertilisation.
To remedy a high salt content, cut back on fertiliser and step up your watering regime for the next few weeks. If you live by the ocean, this will be harder to remedy—but stepping up your watering will help to wash some of the salt away all the same.