English: Japanese skimmia.
Region: Japan, China, Southeast Asia.
Habitat: warm temperate regions; tolerates a wide range of conditions, frost, drought, atmospheric pollution.
Use: widely cultivated as an ornamental; bonsai for Chinese gardens.
BotanyRounded evergreen shrub, small trees; 6 m tall and wide.
Leaves: glossy, leathery; clustered at the ends of the shoots; simple; lanceolate; 6 to 21 cm long, 2 to 5 cm broad; smooth margin.
Inflorescence: in dense panicle clusters.
Flowers fragrant; cream-yellow to white, followed on female plants; small, 6 to 15 mm diameter; 4 to 7 petals.
Fruit: fleshy drupe; small, round, red to black 6 to 12 mm diameter; with a single seed.