The female plants, provided a male is around for pollination, produce clusters of bright red, inch-long fruit in the fall and winter. The golden variegation patterns are inherited from momma. If the female plant is variegated, the seedlings will be variegated regardless of what the male looks like. If the female plant is green and papa is variegated, the seedlings will be green. This indicates that the cause of variegation is not under the control of the DNA of the nucleus but probably under the control of the chloroplasts where photosynthesis occurs.
Chloroplasts float in the juices of each cell and are inherited from the female parent.
Aucubas require shade. While many of the plants we grow in the garden simply tolerate shade, gold dust aucuba must have it. If exposed to full sun the leaves burn severely and turn a nice crunchy black. It maintains a nice compact form in the shade with its yellow variegated leaves glowing throughout the summer months when contrasted with the green backdrop of other shrubs and trees. Aucubas should be planted in a reasonably fertile, well drained soil that can be watered during dry weather.