Gold Dust Plant (Aucuba japonica)
Native to Japan, the gold dust plant (Aucuba japonica) is a hardy but slow-growing evergreen shrub. Also referred to as spotted laurel or Japanese laurel, it's known for its splashes of yellow and specks of gold on its leathery dark green leaves.
Common Name: Gold dust, gold dust aucuba, spotted laurel, variegated gold dust plant;
Botanical Name: Aucuba japonica.
Aucuba japonica, commonly called spotted laurel, Japanese laurel, Japanese aucuba or gold dust plant , is a shrub (1–5 m, 3.3–16.4 ft) native to rich forest soils of moist valleys, thickets, by streams and near shaded moist rocks in China, Korea, and Japan. This is the species of Aucuba commonly seen in gardens - often in variegated form.
This plant is valued for its ability to thrive in the most difficult of garden environments, dry shade. Gold Dust Plant may be grown indoors as a houseplant. Today numerous cultivars are available from garden centres. The most popular cultivar is 'Variegata', with yellow spots on the leaves.
Outdoors, the plant can grow up to 10 feet tall. As a houseplant, it should be pruned to the desired height.
You may also find dracaena and croton varieties labeled as Gold Dust. Both sport green leaves with spots of golden yellow much like the gold dust aucuba. This is why botanical names can be helpful when shopping for plants.
It looks nice in pots to decorate a patio. Mainly cultivable indoors, although it can be placed on balconies or terraces facing North, since it does not support direct sunlight or high temperatures.
