Skimmia japonica 'MYSTIC MARLOT'® Japanese skimmia
Skimmia
The genus Skimmia comprises a small number of evergreen shrubs native to East Asia, particularly Japan, Korea, China and the Himalayan region. It belongs to the rue family (Rutaceae), which also includes, perhaps unexpectedly, citrus fruits, a relationship reflected in the structure of the flowers and the gently aromatic foliage. In Europe, skimmias have been known since the late eighteenth century thanks to the Swedish naturalist Carl Peter Thunberg (1743–1828), a pupil of Carl Linnaeus and one of the key figures in the early study of Japanese flora. Thunberg stayed in Japan in 1775–1776 as a physician to the Dutch East India Company and, based on the material he collected there, published his seminal work Flora Japonica in 1784, in which the genus Skimmia and the species Skimmia japonica were scientifically described for the first time. In their natural habitat, skimmias form part of the understorey of mountain forests, growing in partial shade in humus-rich, acidic soils with evenly balanced moisture. These ecological requirements later shaped their use in gardens as evergreen shrubs suited to shaded situations.
The generic name Skimmia is derived from the Japanese vernacular name miyama-shikimi (深山樒), meaning “mountain” or “wild shikimi”. In Japanese usage, the word shikimi on its own refers primarily to Illicium religiosum, an aromatic shrub traditionally associated with Buddhist rituals. The name reflects not only the similarity in leaf shape and scent between the two plants, but also cultural associations with purification, protection and calm that are linked to these aromatic shrubs in Japanese tradition. By adopting this name into scientific nomenclature, Thunberg preserved a direct connection between local usage and botanical description.
Japanese skimmia (Skimmia japonica) represents the key species that first found its way into European gardens. Its natural range includes Japan, the Ryukyu Islands and the Philippines, with forms extending as far north as Sakhalin and the southern Kuriles, and probably also parts of China and Taiwan. In Europe it was already being cultivated in the first half of the nineteenth century, as evidenced by records from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, dating from 1838. Wider horticultural interest, however, followed only after a further introduction from Japan in 1861 by Robert Fortune for the nursery of Standish & Co. An initial wave of enthusiasm culminated in an award for fruiting plants exhibited in 1864, but disappointment soon followed when many distributed plants failed to produce the expected decorative berries. The reason lay not in cultivation errors, but in the biology of the species itself, its dioecious nature, which at the time was understood by very few gardeners. This fact became generally accepted only after Maxwell T. Masters published his study of skimmias in 1889. As a result, skimmia found its place in European gardens less as a showy specimen and more as a bearer of calm. It acts as a quiet, permanent backdrop beneath the canopies of trees and large shrubs, evoking an atmosphere close to the zen concept of the garden, where harmony, balance and endurance matter more than immediate effect.
Mystic Marlot® skimmia is a consecutive variety following Magic Marlot® mutation, found on mother plant Marlot (Godrie’s Dwarf) in Dutch town Kaathseuvel in 1998. The evergreen, leathery leaves are pale green with thin, silver lining. They create a perfect background for another lovely feature: the inflorescence. Tiny flowers are composed in dense clusters above the foliage already from late summer. The buds are white first, turning rosy pink in autumn, and deep burgundy red in inter. They open to creamy white, very fragrant flowers in April. Mystic Marlot® is a dwarf variety of slow growth, forming a low, compact, mounding shrub and requires no pruning. It is male (no fruit) but pollinates all female varieties.
Skimmia is an undemanding shrub that requires little routine maintenance, provided it is correctly sited and well planted. It needs consistently moist but very well-drained soil rich in nutrients, particularly iron and magnesium. The substrate should be light, humus-rich and acidic, ideally improved with leaf mould and peat to maintain suitable structure and pH. It thrives best in partial shade to deep shade, for example on the north side of a building or beneath broad-canopied trees that provide summer shade and diffuse strong winter sunlight. Pale or yellowing leaves usually indicate unsuitable conditions, too much direct sun, waterlogging, or poor, insufficiently acidic soil lacking iron. Skimmia tolerates urban conditions and air pollution well. It is fully hardy to at least −27 °C (USDA zone 5) and, in sheltered, non-sunny positions, also performs well in wider, relatively shallow outdoor containers with good drainage. If small pale speckles appear on the leaves, check the undersides, as they may indicate infestation by rhododendron lace bug, particularly on weakened plants. Thanks to its calm appearance and year-round effect, skimmia is also well suited to modern containers outside cafés and restaurants. The entire plant is poisonous.
Last update 03-09-2020;27-03-2026
