Propagation
Take soft tip in spring or semi hardwood cuttings from autumn to winter; place both types in a cool humid position.

Sow fresh seeds during spring and maintain a warm humid environment. The seedlings may be of inferior quality and colour.

Culture
It must be keep moist during summer in a wind protected position. It can also be clipped regularly to form an in a formal hedge and tolerates a hard prune to revigorate older plants.


Botanic information
Leaf: The leaves are ovate to oblong with a coarsely serrate margin and leathery texture. The apex is acuminate and has a cuneate base, with a petiole up to 50mm (2in) long. Many cultivars are dark green with yellow or cream blotches.

Flower: The green to purple male flowers are arranged in a terminal corymbose panicle; the female flowers are arranged axillary. The conical small brown buds are imbricate, terminal and slightly pubescent appearing in the leaf axils during spring.

Fruit: The berry-like one seeded drupe is green, ripening to scarlet during autumn and is up to 10 mm (? in) wide, and is persists on the plant. The small seeds are viable but the plant is commonly reproduced vegetatively. A male and female plant is required to guarantee fruiting.