Comments on: A Round Robin Sings the Virtues of Aucuba japonica https://www.scottarboretum.org/aucuba-japonica/ Wed, 27 Aug 2025 21:45:30 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.5 By: Dixon Teter, Ph.D. https://www.scottarboretum.org/aucuba-japonica/#comment-1115 Sun, 24 Oct 2021 13:03:43 +0000 http://blogs.scottarboretum.org/gardenseeds/?p=4653#comment-1115 As noted: when hungry deer will eat almost anything. My aucuba – browsed. A customer’s Schip laurels -heavily browsed one year only though and in all honesty there are as many as 15-18 in the herd that sleeps nearby. They even occasionally browse pieris japonica. The nursery industry used to say “deer do not eat” and now far more wisely says “deer resistant.” Though I will say that deer have NEVER touched either my poncirus trifoliata or my trochodendron aralioides. Both of which are great for light to medium shade.
Thanks for all the great information and a beautiful space to tour!

]]> By: Julie Vrooman https://www.scottarboretum.org/aucuba-japonica/#comment-1114 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 00:23:45 +0000 http://blogs.scottarboretum.org/gardenseeds/?p=4653#comment-1114 I would have to agree with Thomas. In the growing season the deer leave my acuba alone, but when winter comes it can get eaten down to the stems. The damage is much worse than on the nearby azalea. I would recommend Prunus laurocerasus (cherry laurel). It is as tough as the acuba and the cultivar I have (‘Schipkaensis’?) is about 8′ tall x 5′ wide. The deer have never touched it.

]]> By: Josh Coceano https://www.scottarboretum.org/aucuba-japonica/#comment-1113 Thu, 14 Mar 2013 20:31:26 +0000 http://blogs.scottarboretum.org/gardenseeds/?p=4653#comment-1113 In reply to Thomas.

Thomas,
I have noticed more and more aucuba planted in the surrounding neighborhoods and all seem untouched. Deer do frequent the Arboretum and don’t browse, though I suspect there are many other more appetizing choices. When all is said and done I think deer will eat just about anything!
Thanks for sharing your experience.

]]> By: Thomas https://www.scottarboretum.org/aucuba-japonica/#comment-1112 Thu, 14 Mar 2013 20:02:03 +0000 http://blogs.scottarboretum.org/gardenseeds/?p=4653#comment-1112 All very true except for the deer part. I have clients where it is nibbled to trunk, and that is with spraying deer repellent.

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