Pick up know-how for tackling diseases, pests and weeds.
Farm bill, farm marketing, agribusiness webinars, & farm policy.
Find tactics for healthy livestock and sound forages.
Scheduling and methods of irrigation.
Explore our Extension locations around the state.
Commercial row crop production in Arkansas.
Agriculture weed management resources.
Use virtual and real tools to improve critical calculations for farms and ranches.
Learn to ID forages and more.
Explore our research locations around the state.
Get the latest research results from our county agents.
Our programs include aquaculture, diagnostics, and energy conservation.
Keep our food, fiber and fuel supplies safe from disaster.
Private, Commercial & Non-commercial training and education.
Specialty crops including turfgrass, vegetables, fruits, and ornamentals.
Find educational resources and get youth engaged in agriculture.
Gaining garden smarts and sharing skills.
Timely tips for the Arkansas home gardener.
Creating beauty in and around the home.
Maintenance calendar, and best practices.
Coaxing the best produce from asparagus to zucchini.
What’s wrong with my plants? The clinic can help.
Featured trees, vines, shrubs and flowers.
Ask our experts plant, animal, or insect questions.
Enjoying the sweet fruits of your labor.
Herbs, native plants, & reference desk QA.
Growing together from youth to maturity.
Crapemyrtles, hydrangeas, hort glossary, and weed ID databases.
Get beekeeping, honey production, and class information.
Grow a pollinator-friendly garden.
Schedule these timely events on your gardening calendar.
Equipping individuals to lead organizations, communities, and regions.
Guiding communities and regions toward vibrant and sustainable futures.
Guiding entrepreneurs from concept to profit.
Position your business to compete for government contracts.
Find trends, opportunities and impacts.
Providing unbiased information to enable educated votes on critical issues.
Increase your knowledge of public issues & get involved.
Research-based connection to government and policy issues.
Support Arkansas local food initiatives.
Read about our efforts.
Preparing for and recovering from disasters.
Licensing for forestry and wildlife professionals.
Preserving water quality and quantity.
Cleaner air for healthier living.
Firewood & bioenergy resources.
Managing a complex forest ecosystem.
Read about nature across Arkansas and the U.S.
Learn to manage wildlife on your land.
Soil quality and its use here in Arkansas.
Learn to ID unwanted plant and animal visitors.
Timely updates from our specialists.
Eating right and staying healthy.
Ensuring safe meals.
Take charge of your well-being.
Cooking with Arkansas foods.
Making the most of your money.
Making sound choices for families and ourselves.
Nurturing our future.
Get tips for food, fitness, finance, and more!
Understanding aging and its effects.
Giving back to the community.
Managing safely when disaster strikes.
Listen to our latest episode!
July 1, 2017
I have several aucuba and hydrangea growing side by side. The aucubas are growing so large and are beginning to overshadow the hydrangea, which I believe will impact their flowering. Can I prune the aucuba now even though it is summer? Since the aucuba doesn't bloom, would it hurt to prune it gently now?
Aucuba plants don’t have one main trunk but numerous canes. Instead of top pruning a cane producing plant, the best method of pruning is to remove up to one third of the older canes at the base to alleviate the size. I would recommend taking out no more than one third at this time of the year, but it should help with the competition. Prune the larger branches back to the ground line. If you prune these plants from the top, they often branch out which makes them get a little top heavy and then they start to cascade down on their neighbors. If the hydrangea also needs pruning, thinning cuts again are what is needed, and should be done as soon as summer flowering ends.
(September 2015)
I have had this plant in a pot for years. What is it? It has black leaves so I moved it to a shady spot. Did it just get too much sun and heat?
The plant in question is an aucuba, commonly called gold dust plant. It is a shade plant and the leaves will turn black if it gets too much sunlight. It is a great evergreen shrub for the shade
(October 2010)
I have taken up some aucuba that I had growing on the north side of my house after they wilted and turned black. I also have some oakleaf hydrangeas that developed reddish brown spots on them in the same area. We cut them back a couple of years ago, raked up the old leaves and mulch, and they came back ok. We didn't have any flowers last year, but this year we sprayed with a fungicide and we had lots of flowers. Now late in the season, but later on the red spots are back. What do we do to get rid of whatever it is that is causing our problem? Our tomatoes and peppers in small bed on the east side of the house are also affected. Would you advise replacing the aucuba with healthy plants or going to a more disease resistant plant?
How much sunlight were the aucuba getting--also the oakleaf hydrangeas? We have had several situations where trees were removed or damaged and the plants were simply getting too much sun. Aucuba turn black in direct sun. This year, many oakleaf and regular hydrangeas have leaf spots. It isn't all that rare late in the season, nor would I recommend starting a spray program this late. If the problem starts early in the year then a fungicide might we warranted. Water is still the most vital factor for success in a garden, and this year that was a challenge. Lack of fertilization, heat and drought stress are probably your biggest problems with the vegetables. I do not think the same thing is plaguing all your plants, but it has been a tough gardening season.
(April 2010)
Are there shrubs (besides azalea, rhododendron, and camellia) that will grow well under pine trees?
Pines tend to have a high enough canopy that most shade and partial shade tolerant shrubs do well. Cleyera, aucuba, fatsia, hollies and boxwoods are all possible choices, but there are numerous others. Soil acidity can be a long-term concern under pines, but most of these plants are pretty tolerant.
Are there shrubs (besides azalea, rhododendron, and camellia)that will grow well under pine trees?
(August 2006)
Can aucuba be trimmed to the ground and recover? We have a large stand of aucuba that is getting out of control. It gets plenty of water and minimal sun.
If aucuba, or gold dust plant, is planted in the right location (which it sounds like yours is) they can be a vigorous and tough plant. I would rather you gradually thin them out by removing up to one half of the old canes at the soil line in March. If you decide to cut them all to the ground, do so in early spring. Let them get through the winter and make sure all freezes have passed before pruning. Aucubas have taken a hit in cold winters even with all their foliage attached so you wouldn’t want to head into fall with a severely trimmed plant. Severe pruning is not something I would ever do on a regular basis, but they should come back after one time. They won't be too attractive in the process. A gradual approach would be easier on the plant and more aesthetically pleasing in the landscape.
All links to external sites open in a new window. You may return to the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture web site by closing this window when you are finished. We do not guarantee the accuracy of the information, or the accessibility for people with disabilities listed at any external site.
Links to commercial sites are provided for information and convenience only. Inclusion of sites does not imply University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture's approval of their product or service to the exclusion of others that may be similar, nor does it guarantee or warrant the standard of the products or service offered.
The mention of any commercial product in this web site does not imply its endorsement by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture over other products not named, nor does the omission imply that they are not satisfactory.