Skimmia japonica, commonly called skimmia is a shade loving, evergreen plant that has a rounded growth habit. It can grow to 4 feet in height It has attractive clusters of flowers in the spring,
but the resulting berries persist in the winter and make it one of the most attractive features. There are separate male and female plants, like with hollies, so you do need at least one of each. It does well in all levels of shade but would tolerate morning sun and afternoon shade. It is winter hardy statewide, but it can struggle in the heat of an Arkansas summer. It can be done, as witnessed by this plant which has been growing and thriving at Garvan Gardens in Hot Springs for years.
It likes a well-drained, acidic soil and would need irrigation in the summer.
Sweet box Sarococca ruscifolia
is in the boxwood family, but a separate genus.
This low growing evergreen thrives in partial to deep shade. It is considered hardy from zones 7-9. The tiny flowers appear in March and April and are quite fragrant. Native to China, it is slow growing but a nice plant for the garden.
Sweet Olive – Osmanthus fragrans
is an evergreen shrub that does best with some afternoon shade in our climate—more for winter hardiness than summer. It is considered hardy from central Arkansas southwards. Last year it got nipped a bit by the cold, but it rebounded nicely. Once established, it is fairly drought tolerant. I saw an orange flowering form that was thriving at Moss Mountain – Orange Supreme.
I think I need one for my garden. Over time these shrubs can get large –up to 10 feet by 10 feet.
The small flowers are extremely fragrant.
It can bloom sporadically in the fall and winter, but is usually more floriferous in early spring. In China, the flowers are sometimes added to teas, which leads to its other common name- tea olive.