Reeves Skimmia         SKIM-ee-a REEVsi-ah-na

• Broadleaf evergreen, low growing shrub, 1-3 ft (0.3-0.9 m) high and 2-3 ft (0.6-0.9 m) wide.   Leaves simple, alternate, lanceolate or oblong lanceolate, 2.5-10 cm long and 2-2.5 cm wide, leathery, acuminate tip, wedge-shaped base, margin smooth (entire), dark green above, light green below.  Flowers are in terminal clusters 5-7.5 cm long, fragrant, white, each about 1 cm wide, 5-parted, both male and female parts present (bisexual).  Fruit crimson, more or less spherical, about 8 mm long, persist into winter.
• Part shade to shade, prefers moist, acid, high organic matter soils, seldom needs pruning.   Attractive in a container.  It is self-fruitful in contrast to S. japonica which requires both male and female plants.  The bisexual flowers of S. reevesiana are helpful in distinguishing it from S. japonica.
• Hardy to USDA Zone (6)7      Native to China and east Asia.
• Presumably this plant is as poisonous as S. japonica, which can cause cardiac arrest if ingested.   The red fruit is the usual cause of poisoning.