By Mala Gunadasa-Rohling My choice for this month s feature plant is the species Skimmia. This genus of attractive, evergreen plants really shines during the winter months with their dark shiny foliage and tiny flowers clustered into rounded heads. These shrubs seldom grow very tall, two or three feet is the usual height with a maximum of about six feet after many years, and they are quite slow growing making them ideal for smaller garden areas or even containers.
Flower colour ranges from white, through cream and pink to bright red.
To add to the overall colour effect, the stems holding the tiny starry individual flowers in their clusters are often tinted red also. Though attractive, these berries can cause a mild stomach upset if eaten so keep the kiddies away. The leaves are about 4-6 inches long, oval in shape and quite thick, almost waxy. The Skimmia genus consists of four species, with several new varieties developed recently. The species originate in southeastern Asia and are fully frost hardy.