Full Size vs. Dwarf Japanese Skimmias

Full-Size Skimmia Japonica: Growth and Appearance

• The full-size varieties of Japanese skimmia grow to about 4 feet tall and 4 feet wide. They produce white flowers in the spring and brilliant red berries from the autumn through the winter. Like the dwarf varieties, they have dark green, aromatic evergreen leaves that grow in densely clumping patterns. The shrub's bright berries attract birds and the flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies. Unlike the dwarf variety, full-size varieties are either male or female, so you need to have pollinator plants nearby for any female shrubs to produce fruit.

Skimmia Japonica: Cultivation

• The full-size skimmia needs partial or full shade to produce its deep green leaves. Plant it in loamy, acidic soils with lots of organic matter. Plant it away from a concrete home foundation to ensure that the soil is sufficiently acidic. However, once you've found an appropriate spot of soil for your skimmia, you can expect fairly hardy growth with minimal care. Full-size skimmia plants are very resilient to pollution and neglect and grow well in containers or in the earth.

Skimmia Japonica Reevesiana: Growth and Appearance

• The dwarf skimmia (Skimmia japonica reevesiana) typically measures between 18 inches and 2 feet tall with a 2- to 3-foot spread, making it a quarter to half of the size of the full-size variety. Unlike most varieties of skimmia, the dwarf self-pollinates, making it unnecessary to plant pollinator plants. In the spring, it produces panicles of white, scented flowers with reddish tips, which become dull, deep maroon berries by the autumn. The berries typically remain on the branches through the winter, making it a colorful planting for the winter months. The shrub has narrow, tapered, dark green leaves.

Skimmia Japonica Reevesiana: Cultivation

• The reevesiana subspecies does best in loamy, acidic, humus-rich soil that is well-drained. As for the full-size skimmia, you'll need to select a spot that's partially to fully shaded to keep the leaves from getting too much sun. You may propagate the reevesiana, like other subspecies of skimmia, from seed in containers or from cuttings. The shrub does well surrounded by early blooming flowering bulbs, according to Washington State University Clark County Extension.