Gardeners often buy a male skimmia only to ensure that their female skimmias develop berries in the fall and winter. However, the male Japanese skimmia is just as attractive an evergreen shrub as the female with its narrow lance-shaped leaves, though it may not spread quite as wide. The flowers on the male skimmia are usually more fragrant than the blooms on the female plants, emerging as reddish pink buds that open to white. Skimmias prefer filtered shade and need regular watering to look their best.