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I quite like the Skimmia. They make good compact evergreen shrubs, and apart from a slightly sinister 'Cinderella-poisoning'
look to their red berries, they are without the ability to offend. It should be acknowledged that they are also without the ability to enchant.
This is the first variegated form I have seen, and this is little more than a rooted cutting, so I can't yet tell if it will be worth the space it occupies
but I am prepared to give it a chance. Sadly Skimmia is a much overlooked genus and I can't find much about the plants origin. Hilliers Manual says: "A compact, male, variegated selection with silvery green leaves edged with cream. White buds turn to a vibrant dark red before opening to fragrant, white flowers." Fortunately the plant is patented in the USA (USPP16,884 P3). The patent is held by Jim Koot of the Netherlands and says: "‘Magic Marlot’ was discovered in the Summer of 1998 as a naturally occurring branch mutation on a plant of Skimmia japonica ‘Marlot’ (not patented). The cultivar ‘Magic Marlot’ was discovered in a cultivated area of Kaatsheuvel, The Netherlands . The closest comparison cultivar is the parent plant Skimmia ‘Marlot’. The new cultivar ‘Magic Marlot’ is distinguishable from the parent Skimmia ‘Marlot’ by the following characteristics: 1. Skimmia ‘Magic Marlot’ has ?ower buds that start as cream colored during the summer and change to bronze in autumn and to dark pinkish red in the winter. The flower buds of ‘Marlot’ are green during the summer and change to bronze during the fall and winter. 2. Skimmia ‘Magic Marlot’ has variegated foliage with young leaves that have yellow margins and mature leaves that have cream colored margins. The leaves of ‘Marlot’ are green." |
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| 14th December 2008 | ||
