How do I identify male vs female skimmia?

Question

I bought a Japanese skimmia at holiday time because it is a shade tree and I loved the look. In reading your information, I see I need male and female to get berries. First, how do I tell if my plant is female or male? Second, where can I buy a plant of opposite sex, and how do I tell if it is correct sex or not?

Answer 1

You can tell the flowers apart quite easily if you know what to look for. Males will have 4 stalks with pollen sacks on all four tips. They are bright yellow so you can’t miss them. The female will have a single center stalk with a gnarled looking tip.

As for where to get one of the opposite sex… This can be challenging. They are often mislabeled in nurseries, but you might have some success online with a search.