A wintery red wonder
The summer has officially come to an end. Days are starting to feel dull and dreary, and looking out of the window isn’t actually going to cheer you up with plants and trees standing there in their past glory. But classic red plants, like the Skimmia, will ensure there is still plenty to see when you take a look outside.
A Skimmia has two distinctive features: leathery green leaves and shining berries. In the autumn the berries change colour from green to bright red. Lucky for us, birds are not very fond of them, unlike the berries of other berry-bearing plants. So instead of picking them bald, they remain on the plant for a long time and will bright up the day during the autumns grey moments.
The following fact might sounds like a joke to you, but it’s actually true: a lady Skimmia needs a male Skimmia in order to be pollinated. So make sure they are planted alongside each other. But how do you figure out whether the Skimmia in front of you is a female or male? Look closely and you will notice certain differences in the male’s shape: the flowers have pistils and are slightly more vigorously.
In the wild, the Skimmia grows in the forests of China and other parts of Asia, such as the Himalayas. However, the version we know was created in a Dutch greenhouse in 1838: a shrub which we can enjoy all four seasons. However, in the wintery months they will play a more dominating role!
Bright up the dull, grey days with our assortment of Skimmia’s.