Growing guide

How to grow skimmias

Skimmias are low maintenance, neat, slow-growing evergreen shrubs for a border in partial to deeper shade. The spring flowers are followed by red or white berries on female plants, giving an additional autumn interest to borders or containers for winter.  

Save to My scrapbook

Quick facts

  • Undemanding shrub for partial to deeper shade
  • Grows in a sunnier spot on moister soils 
  • Not too fussy about the soil type as long as not too wet or dry
  • Suitable for containers
  • Spring flowers are usually scented 
  • Female forms develop berries 
  • Not palatable to deer and rabbits

All you need to know

Before you get started
Planting
Ongoing care
Pruning and training
Propagating
Problems
While we think all this information will be helpful to you, we always recommend to read the instruction labels on your plants.

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.