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.
| 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 |
Woody stem — cut at 45° and split 2 cm. Fresh water. Buds hold indefinitely; leaves remain green throughout vase life.
- •Extremely long vase life — up to 4 weeks
- •Refresh water weekly
- •Buds do not open in vase; used as-is
- •Works dry after use
1 named skimmia cultivars from the Lacy Bird master catalogue — each a distinct commercial variety.
Entries marked ✦ come from the Acanta master catalogue — the shared database of cut flowers, forms, colours and named varieties that florists and studios build on. The rest are our editorial genus reference. What is Acanta →
Bouquet Builder — by Lacy BirdDesign the bouquet. See it as a photo.
Botanical reference
- Common name
- Japanese Skimmia
- Also known as
- Rubella, Japanese skimmia, Skimmia japonica japonica, Skimmia rogersii
- Distribution
- Japan, Kuril Is., Nansei-shoto, Primorye, Sakhalin, Taiwan
Open-data sources: GBIF, Wikidata (CC0/CC BY)
Frequently asked questions
When is Skimmia in season?
Skimmia peaks in November, December, January, February, and florists can usually source it October, November, December, January, February, March. Availability shifts by region and greenhouse supply.
How long does Skimmia last in a vase?
Expect 14–28 days with proper conditioning — a clean vase, fresh water every couple of days, flower food, and a cool spot away from ripening fruit and direct heat.
What can I use instead of Skimmia?
Good substitutes for Skimmia include Viburnum, Ilex (winter berry). Match on look, colour and season — our substitute finder ranks the closest alternatives.
What does Skimmia symbolise?
Skimmia is associated with harmony, calm, winter.
How do you care for cut Skimmia?
Extremely long vase life — up to 4 weeks
Related flowers
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Lacy Bird Flower Encyclopedia — “Skimmia”. https://lacybird.com/flowers/skimmia/<a href="https://lacybird.com/flowers/skimmia/">Lacy Bird Flower Encyclopedia — Skimmia</a>