filler · easy · mid
Skimmia
Skimmia japonica · aka Rubella, Japanese skimmia
Skimmia — the Japanese Rubella variety in particular — is a professional winter florist secret: clustered red or pink buds against glossy green leaves, holding for weeks in vase. Modern winter wedding designers combine it with white ranunculus, silver eucalyptus, and hellebore for a naturalistic Christmas-adjacent palette that avoids the traditional red-and-green cliche.
At a glance
| Family | Rutaceae |
|---|---|
| Origin | East Asia (Japan, Korea, China) |
| Peak season | November, December, January, February |
| Availability | October, November, December, January, February, March |
| Stem length | 30–60 cm |
| Vase life | 14–28 days |
| Colors | red, pink, burgundy, green |
| Price tier | mid |
Conditioning
Woody stem — cut at 45° and split 2 cm. Fresh water. Buds hold indefinitely; leaves remain green throughout vase life.
Care in the vase
- •Extremely long vase life — up to 4 weeks
- •Refresh water weekly
- •Buds do not open in vase; used as-is
- •Works dry after use
