Skimmia japonica 'Rubella' (Red skimmia) — H60 cm | Pot Ø19 cm
- Regular price
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€50,95 - Regular price
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- Sale price
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€50,95
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Frequently asked questions
Can you keep a skimmia indoors for Christmas? Only for a few days in a cool room, as the warmth of a heated room causes the buds of this outdoor skimmia to drop.
Does the skimmia need ericaceous soil? Yes, skimmia does not tolerate lime and should be planted in a pot with ericaceous soil, preferably watered with rainwater.
Shipping & packaging
Shipped within 24/48 hours via DPD
- Delivery in 2 to 5 working days
- Eco-friendly packaging: recyclable boxes and biodegradable materials
- Special protection so your plant arrives in perfect condition
- Tracking link sent by email as soon as your parcel ships
- Shipping costs and the free-shipping threshold depend on your country — see our delivery page
ZEN ARRIVAL GUARANTEE
We guarantee that your plants will arrive in perfect condition. If your plant arrives damaged or in poor condition:
- Contact us promptly at hello@verdeia.eu with photos
- We will find the right solution for your situation
- No return needed — we trust you
The guarantee covers: damage in transit, plants severely weakened on arrival, and order preparation errors.
CARE TIPS ON ARRIVAL
To help your plant settle in for the long term:
- Unpack your plant immediately and inspect it
- Let it acclimatize for 24-48h in a bright spot out of direct sunlight
- Check the soil moisture before watering (dry surface = light watering)
- Wait 2-3 weeks before repotting, if needed
- Keep it away from heat sources and drafts
- Gently wipe the leaves to remove dust
Need help? Contact our team at hello@verdeia.eu or via chat.
❤️ Vivid red buds all winter • 🤍 Fragrant white flowers in spring • 🌿 Dark green evergreen foliage • 🌥️ Partial shade or shade • ❄️ Hardy down to -15 °C • 🐝 Bee-friendly
Skimmia japonica 'Rubella' is the quintessential Christmas skimmia: a small evergreen shrub covered with red buds from October to March. A species native to Japan, where it grows in woodland, it is one of the plants for a shady terrace that bring color in the depths of winter.
From autumn onward, it produces large clusters of vivid red buds borne on reddish stems, above dark green, glossy foliage. These buds remain closed throughout winter, then open in spring into small white flowers with a gentle fragrance, much loved by bees. Its slow growth keeps it dense, reaching around 60 cm to 1 m at maturity.
Which winter shrub should you choose for shade?
Six evergreen plants from the catalog that remain decorative in winter, in partial shade or shade:
- Skimmia 'Rubella' (this plant) — vivid red buds all winter, fragrant white flowers in spring. The most colorful choice for the festive season.
- Skimmia 'Finchy' — cream-white buds all winter, fragrant white flowers in spring. The brightest choice for a dark corner.
- Skimmia Festival — a duo of red and white buds in the same Ø15 cm pot. The most compact, and the only two-tone variety.
- Christmas rose 'Christmas Carol' — large white flowers with yellow centers, from October to March. The most spectacular bloom in the depths of winter.
- Leucothoe 'Little Flames' — green leaves with flame-red tips in winter. The best suited to a small shade hedge.
- Laurustinus — pinkish-white flowers from November to March. The tallest, for screening an overlooked view.
Skimmias and leucothoes require acidic soil; Christmas rose and laurustinus grow in ordinary soil.
Exposure & placement
It likes soft light and cool conditions: it is one of the few colorful plants in winter that thrive on a north-facing balcony. Direct afternoon sun causes its leaves to turn yellow and burn.
- Exposure: partial shade or shade, morning sun only.
- Location: north- or east-facing balcony, entrance, shaded courtyard, at the foot of a tree.
- Hardiness in a pot: down to -15 °C — it remains outdoors in winter.
- Soil type: ericaceous soil or potting mix for acid-loving plants, moist and well-draining. It does not tolerate lime.
The cold intensifies the red of the buds: it is most colorful in December and January.
Watering & care
Its shallow roots dislike both drying out and sitting in water: testing the substrate with your finger indicates the right time to water, and a well-chosen substrate keeps it moist without retaining excess water.
- Watering: regular — keep the substrate moist, without stagnant water in the saucer. Reduce in winter, without letting the root ball dry out.
- Water: preferably rainwater, or low-lime water.
- Fertilizer: fertilizer for ericaceous plants, in spring after flowering.
- Pruning: rarely necessary — after flowering, cut off only the faded flower clusters.
- Repotting: every two or three years in spring, in ericaceous soil.
A pine bark mulch on the pot keeps the roots cool and slightly acidifies the substrate.
Decor ideas & plant combinations
Its red warms up shady corners all winter and pairs well with other plants on a shady balcony that share its needs.
- For a red-and-white planter, plant a Lenten rose 'Double Ellen White' at its base — its white double flowers open in late winter, below the red buds.
- To dress up the edge of the pot, add a Carex 'Ice Dance' — its fine, cream-edged leaves lighten the dark mass of the foliage.
- For an exotic shade corner, place it in front of a Japanese aralia 'Spider Web' — its large white-speckled leaves provide a backdrop for the red clusters.
- To enhance the pot, choose the taupe Capi Nature Groove pot — its light, warm shade makes the red stand out, whereas a dark pot would dull it.
Paired with Skimmia 'Finchy' in the same planter, it creates a red-and-white duo all winter.
Verdeia tips
- Give it as a Christmas gift: already covered in red buds on delivery, it replaces a festive bouquet; among the plants to give as gifts in December, it is one of the few that bloom again every spring.
- Leave it outdoors in winter: it needs the cold to keep its buds bright red, and a heated room will cause it to lose its buds. Like all cold-hardy plants, it only needs a fleece wrapped around the pot in severe frost.
- Do not cut the buds in autumn: they are the following spring's flowers. Prune only after flowering, when the clusters have faded.
Technical specifications
- Botanical name: Skimmia japonica 'Rubella'
- Common name: Japanese skimmia
- Family: Rutaceae
- Origin: species native to Japan
- Size on delivery: H60 cm | Pot Ø19 cm
- Growth habit: bushy and dense, slow-growing
- Mature height: 60 cm to 1 m
- Flowering: bright red buds from October to March, fragrant white flowers in March-April
- Exposure: partial shade or shade
- Watering: regular
- Soil type: ericaceous soil, lime-free
- Hardiness: down to -15 °C
- Foliage: evergreen, dark green and glossy
- Care: easy
- Toxicity: toxic if ingested by animals and children
- Decorative style: Japanese-inspired / Bohemian / Shade balcony
Each plant is unique: the number of clusters and the intensity of the red naturally vary depending on the season, the cold it has experienced, and the delivery date.
Your plant, delivered with care
Every plant is hand-packed in a box specially designed for plants — secured, protected, ready to travel. It arrives in perfect condition, roots intact and foliage preserved, ready to take its place in your home.
Our Verdeia commitments
FAQ – Everything to know before adopting your Verdeia plant
How are my plants prepared before shipping?
All our plants are selected from our European partner nurseries. Before shipping, they are watered, cleaned, and protected with breathable, secure packaging. Each package is designed to ensure your plant arrives in perfect health, without any transport-related stress.
Will the plant look exactly like the photo?
The photos accurately represent the variety and the stated size. Since each plant is unique, slight differences in shape, foliage, or color may occur — and that’s part of their charm.
What are the delivery times and conditions?
Orders ship within 48 working hours, with tracked delivery in 2 to 5 working days via DPD. Shipping costs and the free-shipping threshold depend on your country — see our delivery page. You receive a tracking link as soon as your parcel leaves.
What should I do when my plant arrives?
Open your package as soon as you receive it and carefully remove the plant from its packaging. Let it acclimate for 24 hours in its new environment before watering. If it has been slightly stressed during transport, it will recover its shape after one or two days in the light.
What should I do if my plant arrives damaged?
Contact us within 48 hours with a photo of the issue. Our team will assess the situation and offer you the best solution: replacement, partial refund, or recovery advice.
Can I return a plant?
Since plants are living beings, standard returns are not possible. However, we guarantee good health upon delivery: if the plant arrives damaged, it will be replaced free of charge. For any other cases (order error, decorative pot, accessory), returns are possible within 14 days.