In spring and summer, variegated green and in autumn fiery bright euonymus bushes can be seen more and more often in our garden plots. It is used to create a hedge, planted on alpine hills and as a free-standing tree. This ornamental plant gives the garden a unique look, and not only gardeners love it. Evergreen varieties of euonymus are successfully grown at home. Its hard and dense spotted leaves serve as a background for flowering plants. Single euonymus look great. They lend themselves well to shaping. Therefore, indoor bonsai are often grown from euonymus. Planting and caring for this plant at home is not difficult, but if not properly maintained, the euonymus can show its character.
Appearance of euonymus and its life in nature
The Euonymus family includes about two hundred plants. They can be seen in almost all corners of the globe, excluding the far north. Wild representatives of euonymus have inhabited forests in temperate and subtropical climates; some, but a minority, have settled in the tropics. There are 20 varieties growing in Russia.
In Latin, euonymus is called Euonymus, which means “glorious name.” Due to the similarity of the leaves to laurel trees, the plant is also called pseudolaurel. And the name euonymus has Slavic roots. Our ancestors gave the plant many nicknames, here are some: brusklet, heather, privet, as well as wolf's bast and wolf's earrings. Associations with the image of a wolf did not appear by chance. Euonymus thickets form a dense undergrowth, the very thicket where predators are found.
Euonymus is a plant that is evergreen or loses its leaves in the fall. It can be an upright or creeping branched shrub, miniature or large, a tree of about 5 meters. Adult shoots of euonymus are covered with bark and sometimes with wart-like growths. The cross-section of branches varies greatly among different species; in addition to the usual rounded one, there is also a tetrahedral one.
Euonymus foliage is harsh, leathery, glossy, egg-shaped, size varies from 2 to 5 cm. Color from dark green to pale. In gardening and floriculture, forms with colored foliage are common. Spots and streaks of whitish, yellow or cream color are scattered across the sheet.
The euonymus that lives at home blooms extremely rarely. And bushes and trees growing in the wild usually bloom in May. This does not make the plant any more beautiful.
Small inflorescences, whitish or yellow-green, are collected in drooping clusters and often have an unpleasant smell. And the fruits of the euonymus, which ripen in early autumn, are very attractive.
Incredibly shaped colorful boxes hang on thin peduncles. They can be scarlet, purple, burgundy-violet in color, with wings or spikes. But this appearance is deceptive - the fruits of the euonymus are poisonous, like all parts of the plant.
Euonymus is a flexible, patient and undemanding plant. It tolerates even the most spartan conditions and is good at pruning and shaping. Thanks to this, original bonsai are grown from euonymus. If you prune and shape the cuttings correctly, you will get a stocky mini-tree with a fluffy and variegated crown.
Remember: euonymus is a poisonous plant, it should not be placed in rooms where children and pets are. The highest concentration of substances hazardous to health is in the fruits of the plant. Don't try them. 35 fruits is a lethal dose for an adult. Poisoning is manifested by weakness, vomiting, convulsions, and cardiac arrhythmia. With very severe damage, paralysis occurs and death is possible. When working with euonymus, follow safety precautions. Wear gloves and safety glasses when pruning. If juice gets on mucous membranes, rinse them with plenty of water.
There are many legends and traditions about the euonymus. One of them says that a poisonous euonymus was grown by an evil witch as a punishment for people. But later she repented and endowed him with medicinal properties. Then the witch turned into a feathered robin, for which the fruits of the euonymus are harmless. By eating them, the robin helps new bushes grow.
Varieties and varieties of euonymus
Evergreen euonymus is most often grown as a houseplant: Japanese and rooting (fortuna) - and less often deciduous species: European and winged. Forms that shed their leaves turn red and yellow in the fall, like street trees. They lose their leaves and wake up again in the spring. Evergreen euonymus can also lose leaves, but this is not the norm, but the result of improper care.
- Japanese euonymus, in addition to the Land of the Rising Sun, is common in Korea and China. This heat-loving plant does not tolerate severe frosts. In northern countries, including Russia, it is grown only at home and in greenhouse conditions. This is a compact, well-leafed shrub. The leaves are up to 8 cm long, in the shape of an elongated oval, with small serrations along the edge. There are varieties that are evenly colored and variegated. In clusters of inflorescences there are two to three dozen tiny (1 cm each) greenish-yellow flowers. Fruit pods are orange or pink. The most popular varieties of Japanese euonymus: mediopictus - a shrub with yellow-golden leaves with a green edge; Latifolius albumarginatus - euonymus with green foliage decorated with a patterned white border; microphylla - a miniature (up to half a meter) shrub with small (2–2.5 cm) white-green leaves; aureo-marginata - a variety with bright green leaves with a golden edge.
- Rooting euonymus (fortune) is an evergreen creeping shrub, never taller than 60 cm. At the same time, the length of the branches reaches 3 meters. Its homeland is China, the plant can also be seen in the Crimea and Transcaucasia. The leaves of this euonymus are small (2–6 cm), dense, and rich green in color. They are small, pointed, egg-shaped. The plant is frost-resistant, it is grown both in open ground and indoors. Varieties of fortune euonymus differ in the color of their leaves. Gracilis is a variety with leaves of a creamy-yellow hue, with age they become white along the edges and red in the middle. Vegetus is a creeping bush with thick stems, large rounded leaves and yellow fruits. Emerald Gold is a bush with branches about one and a half meters. The foliage is small, creamy in color, painted with bright yellow spots along the edges, and turns red in the fall.
- Dwarf euonymus is an evergreen, upright growing shrub. Grows up to a meter. Hard, narrow leaves with a sharp tip and slightly curved edges. This euonymus is often shaped as a bonsai. In nature, it is common in the mountains of the Caucasus, Moldova, China and Romania.
- Euonymus warty, or few-flowered, grows in Western Europe and central Russia. This is a two-meter shrub or tree. Its greenish bark is equipped with wart-like growths. The foliage is light green, the flowers are brownish, the fruits are pink-red. In autumn the leaves turn pink. Euonymus warty is grown as a garden ornamental plant.
- The European euonymus is native to mountainous Asia Minor. This is a bushy tree no taller than 6 meters. Green young shoots have longitudinal corky growths, and adult branches are almost black. The leaves are leathery, large, and turn red in autumn. Ripe fruits are dark pink and orange. The species easily tolerates drought, frost and polluted air. There are over two dozen decorative forms of this species, including weeping euonymus, aucubifolia, purple, and silver-spotted.
- The winged euonymus settles on rocks and in mixed forests of the Far East, Sakhalin, Japan and Korea. The branched shrub grows up to 2 meters, the tree is about 4 m. The branches are tetrahedral, the leaves look like a diamond, the fruits are scarlet. There are about 20 forms and varieties. The most common is compactus. This is a compact, dome-shaped bush. The leaves are soft green in summer and turn red in autumn. The plant is winter-hardy, but does not tolerate drought and heat.
The bark and roots of Euonymus verrucosa and Euonymus contain gutta-percha. This substance is similar to rubber. It is used as an insulating material in electrical and radio devices, in chemical and shoe production and in dentistry. A special charcoal called fusain is made from the stems of euonymus; artists use it to draw sketches.
Varieties and varieties of euonymus in the photo: Japanese, European, Fortune and others
Euonymus japonica aureo marginata 
Euonymus warty 
Euonymus rooting vegetus 
European euonymus 
Euonymus winged 
Euonymus japonica latifolius albumarginatus 
Euonymus japonica mediopictus 
Euonymus japonica microphylla 
Euonymus rooting (fortune) 
Euonymus rooting (fortuna)Emerald Gold 
Japanese euonymus
What does euonymus need?
Euonymus is not a gentle plant of the tropics, but a harsh inhabitant of temperate climates. Therefore, in winter, too warm air is harmful to it, and it is not very demanding of humidity. Some forms in nature are accustomed to limited lighting; there is not enough sun in the undergrowth. Single-color indoor euonymuses happily turn green even in partial shade. But the more whimsical variegated varieties will need a lot of light to preserve their color.
Table: principles of plant care at home
| Season | Lighting | Humidity | Temperature |
| Spring | Bright, diffused light. Green varieties of euonymus can grow in partial shade. For motleys, direct sun in moderation is beneficial. It will make the color brighter. The plant must be shaded from the hot midday rays. | Moderate or slightly increased. In hot weather, spray the leaves. Rinse the plant. | Moderate. Optimally 20–25 degrees. Protect from drafts and significant temperature changes. Outdoor maintenance is especially welcome. |
| Summer | |||
| Autumn | The light is bright and diffused. Daylight hours must last at least 12 hours, otherwise the leaves will lose their variegated color and turn green. Provide artificial lighting. | When keeping it warm, humidify the air around the plant: place it on a tray with damp pebbles or moss. Place a home fountain or electric humidifier nearby. When kept in a cold room, maintain moderate humidity. Spraying is not needed. | Cool content. The temperature is below moderate, no more than + 18 degrees, a decrease to +5 is acceptable. Do not place near heating appliances. The best place is near the cold window glass. In a warm room, leaf fall may begin. In this case, move the plant to a cooler room; a glassed-in balcony or veranda will do. |
| Winter |
Rooting euonymus (fortune) in regions with a relatively warm climate is used in winter for landscaping glazed balconies. The plant spends the summer in the garden, and at the end of autumn it is placed on the balcony. The temperature should not fall below -5 degrees. In order for the euonymus to comfortably overwinter, its roots are insulated. You need to lay foam plastic under the container with the plant, and mulch the top with peat or sawdust. And wrap the pot itself with foam rubber, batting or other insulation.
An insulated euonymus can spend the winter on a warm balcony
Pot, soil, planting and replanting
Euonymus is recommended to be replanted annually, at the beginning of the growth period - in the spring. For young bushes, this procedure is mandatory; for adults over 5 years old, it can be carried out after 2–3 years. Euonymus is not capricious in choosing soil. It grows well even in not very nutritious soil; it is more important that it is porous and light.
- Universal soil for indoor plants.
- Sod, humus and leaf soil in a ratio of 2:1:1. Be sure to add coarse sand to the mixture.
- Turf soil, peat and sand in a ratio of 3: 0.5: 0.5.
However, for euonymus from which bonsai are formed, the soil should be more dense and heavy. Some loam should be added to it. This way the root system will be better anchored in a small volume of soil.
Choose a container for planting and transplanting euonymus not deep, but wide. Its roots are located near the surface, without going deep. For large bushes, it is better to take a ceramic pot; it is more stable and evaporates moisture more actively. If you want the euonymus bush to remain small, limit its growth to the size of the planting container. The more modest the volume of the pot, the slower the plant will develop.
How to transplant euonymus at home
- Before planting, sterilize the new pot by rinsing with boiling water, heat the drainage and soil substrate. Don't forget about safety precautions when working with euonymus.
- Place a 2–3 cm drainage layer at the bottom. Pour some soil on top and moisten it.
- Remove the plant from the old pot and carefully, without disturbing the clod of earth with roots, move it to the new one.
- You can inspect the roots; if there are rotten ones, carefully remove them.
- Gradually fill the earthen ball with new soil, compacting the void between it and the wall of the pot. During the process, you can shake the container slightly so as not to leave unfilled areas.
- Water the plant and place it in a slightly shaded place.
- When the euonymus adapts, move it to bright light. A long stay in the shade is harmful for variegated forms.
Video: fortune euonymus is planted in the garden from a pot, how to distinguish a noble plant from cheap fakes
Or, when planting euonymus, you can abandon the traditional pot and try the original kokedama. This is a newfangled bonsai trend that was invented in Japan. “Coca” means moss and “dama” means a ball, that is, it is a ball-like lump of earth wrapped in moss. Growing a bonsai tree takes years, but making a kokedama requires certain ingredients and two to three hours. Euonymus is a suitable plant for such an experiment.
Video: kokedama from euonymus
How to care for a plant
Euonymus is distinguished by its masculine, stern character. But, like any man, this bush cannot do without careful care. This includes watering and feeding, keeping the crown clean and trimming it. Otherwise, your euonymus will become like a “neglected garden.”
Water and feed
From spring to autumn, euonymus loves to drink plenty of water. He is not too picky, but still prefers more refined drinks to chlorinated tap water. Rain, melt, filtered or at least settled lukewarm water. To determine frequency, monitor the condition of the topsoil. As soon as it dries out, water it.
In the summer heat, the euonymus will be happy to be sprayed, but the water should also be soft and warm. You can even wash the plant under a gentle shower. Do not forget to keep the leaves clean; dusty euonymus not only looks bad, but also develops slowly.
With the arrival of autumn cold weather, water procedures must be stopped. It is enough just to wipe the foliage from dust with a damp cloth from time to time. An exception is euonymus left in warm, hotly heated rooms; they will also suffer from dry air, and spraying will be appropriate.
The euonymus bush must be kept clean
Watering in autumn and winter should be limited. When kept cold, reduce to a minimum. If an euonymus overwinters on a glassed-in balcony, it is practically not watered.
During the active growth of shoots and leaves, in spring and summer, the euonymus will respond well to feeding. You can alternate organic and mineral complexes, adding them to irrigation water every two to three weeks. Any fertilizer for ornamental leafy plants is suitable; euonymus is not very picky. In winter, when he rests in the cool, food should be stopped.
Trimming the euonymus
Usually the bush is pruned at the very end of winter. First of all, thin, elongated branches are removed. To increase bushiness, pinch the tops of the shoots. Thus, they stimulate the awakening of dormant lateral buds. If you want to grow a tree, cut off the lower shoots, leaving a bare stem and a lush “cap” on top.
In summer, pinch shoots regularly to improve branching. In the fall, carry out hygienic pruning. Cut out weak, dried branches, if necessary, update the shape of the crown.
Skilled flower growers form various shapes from the crown of euonymus. It can be given a spherical, cone-shaped or cubic appearance. Plants from which bonsai are grown are pruned according to special rules.
We provide peace
Rest time for euonymus is winter. Deciduous forms, even when grown indoors, change the color of the foliage in the fall, and then completely or partially shed it. Evergreen varieties should retain their leaves. But in excessively dry and warm air, they can also fall off. To stop leaf fall, you need to lower the temperature in the room. You can place the euonymus closer to the window and protect it from the heat by placing an improvised screen on the windowsill. Or, conversely, take it out onto a glassed-in balcony, insulating the pot.
Already in November, watering the plants is gradually reduced, feeding is canceled - during dormancy this is unnecessary. And the euonymus needs bright lighting even in winter.
Maintenance errors - table
| Manifestation | Cause | Elimination |
| Euonymus leaves turn pale, their edges curl, and their tips dry out. | Too much sun, too dry and hot air. | Protect the plant from midday rays. When temperatures are high, humidify the air. |
| In spring or summer, the bush sheds its leaves and stops growing. | Overmoistening of the soil. | Adjust the frequency and volume of watering. The top layer of soil should dry out between waterings. |
| The plant sheds its leaves in autumn or winter. | For deciduous euonymus, this is the norm. For evergreens - too hot and dry air. | Create conditions for a cool winter. If it is impossible to lower temperatures, humidify the air and spray the euonymus. |
| In variegated euonymus, the crown becomes uniformly green. | The plant does not have enough light. | For forms with variegated leaves, bright lighting is very important. Move the plant to a sunnier place, arrange artificial lighting. |
Diseases and pests - table
Video: Euonymus grows poorly due to spider mites and poor soil - correcting errors
Euonymus propagation
Homemade euonymus is propagated by cuttings, dividing the bush and seeds. The last method is the longest and most difficult, but sometimes it is the only option. For cuttings and division you need an adult euonymus bush.
Cuttings
In the middle or end of summer, cut semi-lignified cuttings (7 cm each) of euonymus from the tops of the shoots, which are less than 5 years old. There should be one internode on the cutting.
- Treat the cut of the cutting with a phytohormone (Epin, Zircon or others).
- Fill the container with a mixture of peat and sand and moisten it.
- Deepen the cuttings, carefully compact the substrate, leaving no voids.
- Cover the seedlings with film, a bag or a jar.
- Place in a bright and cool place.
- Moisten and ventilate the plantings regularly.
- Rooting usually lasts 6–7 weeks. When new leaves begin to appear, transplant the cuttings into separate small (7–10 cm) pots with nutritious soil.
Dividing the bush
This method is combined with transplanting euonymus, which is formed in the form of a bush. It is not suitable for tree-like specimens. Take an adult, healthy plant with a developed root system. This will survive the operation without any problems.
- Carefully remove the plant from the pot, inspect the roots, marking the place of division.
- Using a sharp, clean knife, separate part of the rhizome with shoots. Sprinkle the cut with crushed coal.
- Cut off two-thirds of the shoots on the separated plant and plant it in moist soil for euonymus.
- Keep the separated plant cool and in partial shade until it acclimates.
Seeds
Indoor euonymus can also be grown from seeds purchased or collected from a garden bush. Their germination rate, according to gardeners, is 60–70%.
- Before sowing, carry out stratification (cold period). Wrap the seeds in a damp cloth or place them in sand and place them in the refrigerator for three months (at a temperature of 0+3).
- Remove the seeds from the refrigerator and place them in a bright place; cover the top with film to preserve moisture.
- Distribute the warmed seeds on a light sterile substrate (peat and sand), sprinkle with a small layer of sand.
- Spray the plantings with warm water from a spray bottle.
- Cover the container with film or a transparent lid.
- The best results will be obtained if you plant the seeds in a greenhouse with bottom heating. For seed development, a constant high temperature of 22–27°C is required.
- Once every 3-4 days, check the soil moisture, spray when dry, and ventilate the crops.
- The sprouts hatch in one and a half to two months.
- When they get stronger and real leaves appear, pick the seedlings into separate cups. Protect young plants from drafts and cold air.
Euonymus has a real masculine character; it does not like greenhouse conditions. In addition, this plant is a protector. It is believed that growing near the house, or better yet in the house itself, euonymus protects its owners from harm. Other folk signs are also associated with the bright euonymus bush. They say that plants with yellow fruits attract money to the house, those with red fruits attract love, and those with orange fruits bring happiness. Whether this is true or fiction can be found out only by taking a closer look at the euonymus.
Share with your friends!The euonymus plant has more than 200 species and is distributed mainly in the Northern Hemisphere. It is often cultivated as an ornamental plant, used for decoration and also found indoors.
Description of euonymus
Sometimes the height of this plant reaches 4 m. The foliage is shiny, sometimes with creamy-silver spots in the center. Flowers with a not very pleasant smell, they are collected in inflorescences and brushes. It bears poisonous fruits; other parts of the plant should also not be eaten. You can view photos of all types of euonymus and descriptions on our website.
If you have chosen euonymus for yours, you need to know that it is planted in early spring, sometimes in autumn. Don’t forget to carefully study the euonymus, learn about the planting features, and look at photos of the process. He likes to be in partial shade; the soil should be fertile, with good water permeability, and light. An important point is that the plant grows greatly in width and sometimes in height, so it should be planted away from trees, ensuring sufficient distance between the bushes and buildings on the site. Indoor varieties are planted in large pots and boxes, in the summer it is better to leave them outside, and in the winter they need to be brought into the house.
It is necessary to prepare a hole for planting plants in advance, about two weeks in advance. Make sure that the volume is 1.5 times greater than the root system of the seedlings. Place sand or a special composition for drainage at the bottom of the hole, cover with a layer of compost mixed with soil, then lower the plant seedling, straightening the roots, cover with a mixture of soil and compost, lightly tamping it down. If the euonymus will serve, it is better to plant it in a trench. Naturally, after planting the plants, water them and do not forget to do this during the first week.
Features of growing and caring for euonymus
This plant does not like excess moisture, which can damage its roots. Therefore, if it rains heavily, it does not need watering. If there is no precipitation, then water the euonymus as needed. You also need to remember to loosen the soil around it - at least three times during the season. In addition, it is worth feeding the plant twice during the season with mineral fertilizers and organic matter.
We can say that the euonymus loves to be trimmed, so it is worth trimming it more often. To form the crown, it is cut in early spring or late autumn. There are several types of crown shape - conical, ellipsoidal or standard tree shape.
Don’t forget about the pests that attack plants: spider mites, aphids, caterpillars, mealybugs. To get rid of these pests, it is necessary to treat the euonymus with a special solution. Diseases that affect plants are trunk rot or powdery mildew. For prevention, it is worth treating euonymus with special preparations, and cutting off and burning the affected parts of the plant.
There are some methods for propagating euonymus: cuttings, layering, seeds, dividing the bush. Explore options for propagating euonymus, features of planting and care, photos can be viewed on the website.
- If propagation is carried out by layering, in the spring you need to lower the shoots of the mother plant to the ground in a special groove, covering the top with soil.
- To propagate by cuttings, it is necessary to cut from the top of a plant that is at least 5 years old. After this, the cuttings are planted in a mixture of peat and sand and left in a light room for rooting.
- Dwarf varieties are mainly propagated by division. The root shoots with part of the rhizome are carefully cut off from the main plant, and the resulting part is planted in an empty place.
- Euonymus seeds should be sown in the soil in the fall, covered with leaves or straw for the winter. If you decide to sow it in the spring, first soak the seeds in water for several days.
If we talk about indoor options, they can be climbing or in the shape of a tree. The leaves on the plant may be variegated or green. Small flowers are collected in white inflorescences. To ensure a good existence for an indoor flower, it is necessary to create certain conditions for its growth.
Let's look at indoor euonymus, its planting and care (see photo below).
Basic conditions for the full development of euonymus:
- Plant location. To ensure good vegetation, you need a lighted place; you can place the euonymus on a window in direct sunlight. However, it does well in partial shade. As an option, you can place the plant outside for the summer: in the garden. For the winter it is brought indoors.
- Temperature conditions. A special feature of the plant is its unpretentiousness to temperature conditions: it can grow at +5-10 °C. If the room is too hot in winter, it may begin to shed its leaves.
Three years ago I brought two small warty euonymus trees from the forest; the bush is compact, unpretentious, and overwinters well. I’m planning to plant a hedge, so the euonymus belongs there, the bright fruit boxes alone are worth it! They appear in autumn and are different for each species.
I will introduce you to some varieties that can be grown in the middle zone and here in the Urals.
A deciduous or evergreen tree-like shrub from the genus of the same name, it is widespread in subtropical and temperate zones of the globe and has about 200 species. It grows in forests and undergrowth, some specimens reach a height of tens of meters and the same crown coverage, others are creeping dwarfs.
Some species have branches of a regular cross-section, round, and some have tetrahedral branches. The bark of the tree is covered with numerous growths. Euonymus leaves are green, yellowish when there is a lack of light, and variegated in some varieties. In autumn, many people turn red.
The bush blooms with inconspicuous brownish or beige flowers, but its fruits are a real decoration, the calling card of this plant. These are red or orange boxes; by autumn they play with bright colors on different varieties: yellow, burgundy, raspberry, and pink. Euonymus fruits are eaten by birds in winter.
The plant is loved by summer residents and landscape designers. When most trees and shrubs lose their decorative value, the beautiful euonymus gains it. This plant doesn’t care about urban gas pollution. Almost all members of the genus are poisonous, but also have medicinal properties.
What are the types and varieties of euonymus?
Warty
The most common species, which grows wild throughout almost the entire territory of our country, as a shrub or tree. It is found in the forest, its height reaches 2-6 meters. The shoots are green, completely covered with warts. Euonymus blooms in spring and bears fruit in August and September.
Then seed pods, colored pink-red, appear on its branches. Frost-resistant, unpretentious, this species is used for landscaping city parks, alleys and garden plots.
European
It is found everywhere in Europe, in natural landscapes in the western and southern regions of Russia. Some varieties are winter-hardy, others not so much; there are forms with tetrahedral outlines of shoots. They tolerate drought well.
Fruits - pink boxes appear starting in September. It is used in single and group plantings, for hedges, dwarf and low-growing varieties are planted to strengthen slopes, they are used to create bonsai, and they are grown in flowerpots.
The following varieties have been developed based on the European euonymus:
Nana
Dwarf, height up to half a meter. Creeping appearance, rooting shoots.
Pendula
Falling branches like willow.
Sideshow
It has large red fruits and is very decorative.
Atropurpurea
Lilac-purple leaves.
Alba
Bush with white fruits.
Winged (sacred)
The Far Eastern species grows from 1 to 2 meters (in the middle zone it is less tall). The branches are rounded-tetrahedral, cork growths are located lengthwise.
The bark is green in winter and is effective during this period. The fruit is in the form of a red four-part capsule; the foliage turns red in autumn. Widely distributed in the east of our country and in Asia.
Fortune euonymus
Frost-resistant creeping species up to 50 cm tall, variegated leaves (variegated, edged). There are white-green or yellow-green varieties. Unpretentious, grows quickly, occupying free spaces. The Chinese species, however, has long been cultivated in European conditions.
Flowering is rare, here the foliage itself is an adornment of the bush, some remain evergreen even in the middle zone.
Emerald Gold
Variegated, yellow-green foliage.
Harlequin
The leaves when young are almost white, with green spots scattered on them. 
Euonymus dwarf
A low species of the family (up to a meter), the leaves are leathery and narrow. The fruits are yellow-green or pink boxes, on long peduncles. The compactness of the bush allows it to be formed into a border and lends itself well to pruning.
Japanese
In nature it can grow as a liana, a heat-loving variety. Japanese euonymus is grown in greenhouses, apartments and enclosed terraces, where it reaches a height of only 50 centimeters.
How to plant
Some varieties of euonymus like partial shade, others do not mind the sun, but it is better to plant them in diffuse shade, near the walls of houses and fences. Be sure to take into account that some species grow very much.
You can plant euonymus whenever you want, preferably in spring or autumn. To do this, buy 2-3 year old trees. Dwarf varieties are grown in tubs, they are moved from place to place in the garden, but the plants should overwinter in the house or in closed terraces.
This plant prefers soil of a neutral or slightly alkaline composition, loose, and so that there is no stagnation of water and acidification.
Step-by-step procedure on how to plant correctly:
- The hole is dug larger than the root volume of the plant (twice);
- We lay broken brick or expanded clay on top, and then a little sand - this drainage will drain the water:
- Pour nutritious soil into the hole; it consists of humus and turf soil;
- Pour water into the hole and place the euonymus seedling vertically, sprinkle with soil;
- To top it off, we compact the soil at the planting site, water it abundantly and mulch to avoid moisture loss and crust formation. We use humus as a powder. Compost, wood shavings or peat.
How to care for euonymus
It does not require mandatory maintenance, but if you monitor the appearance of your pets, then the euonymus will also need feeding, loosening and pruning.
There is no need to specifically water the shrub; only in dry, hot weather can you add water lightly and spray the crown.
The plant is responsive to feeding - in the spring, when nitrogen is needed, we water it with mullein or diluted bird droppings. In summer, the composition of microelements needs to be diversified by fertilizing with complex mixtures containing phosphorus and potassium. To prevent acidity of the soil, add a little slaked lime during loosening or digging in the fall.
Euonymus lends itself well to pruning, both sanitary and formative; it is not without reason that they are planted as borders, hedges and as a central figure in a flower bed or plot. We remove diseased and old branches in the spring, but form the crown in the fall.
One-year and two-year-old shrubs should be covered for the winter; adult specimens do not need this. They build frost protection from shavings, peat, and spruce branches.
What diseases threaten
Reproduction
Ordinary summer residents will not propagate euonymus by seed; it is troublesome and time-consuming. In fact, ripe seeds can be planted in the fall; over the winter they will stratify naturally and sprout next year. Only in the third year the shoots are planted in a permanent place, covered with peat and humus for the winter.
In most cases, euonymus is propagated by cuttings, dividing the bush and root layering. Cuttings are cut up to 10 cm after flowering, choosing green, young, with two buds. They are planted in pots or greenhouses, in a mixture of peat and sand. The roots will appear within 2 months, but it is better to transfer the seedling to a permanent place next spring.
Bush Euonymus (lat. Euonymus) represents a genus of low evergreen and deciduous woody plants of the Euonymus family, which includes more than two hundred species. In nature, euonymus is distributed in Europe, Asia, Australia and America - throughout the Northern Hemisphere, preferring valleys, floodplains and undergrowth of mixed forests. The Latin name for euonymus roughly translates to “tree of good name” or “glorious tree.” Among the Slavs, euonymus has many names: night blindness, lady's eyes, bruslina, burusklen, mersklet, kislyanka, dereskled, lingonberry, heather, privet, wolf's bast, wolf's earrings, saklak and blind-cured. Many types of euonymus are cultivated as ornamental plants; in particular, euonymus is used in landscape design to decorate outbuildings or fences. A hedge made of euonymus looks picturesque in the garden, and it attracts the eye both in summer and autumn. The species Warty Euonymus and European Euonymus are of practical importance, since it was in their bark and stems that gutta-percha was discovered.
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Planting and caring for euonymus (in brief)
- Landing: in early spring or during leaf fall.
- Lighting: variegated species need bright light, while plants with plain leaves prefer partial shade.
- The soil: light, drained, fertile, neutral or slightly alkaline reaction.
- Watering: as needed: in a season with normal rainfall, the plant is not watered at all.
- Feeding: complex mineral fertilizer in early spring and autumn.
- Trimming: in early spring or after fruiting, for sanitary purposes, as well as to give the crown an ellipsoidal or conical shape.
- Reproduction: seeds and vegetatively: dividing the bush, cuttings and layering.
- Pests: caterpillars, spider mites, aphids and mealybugs.
- Diseases: trunk rot and powdery mildew.
Read more about growing euonymus below.
Euonymus plant - description
The euonymus flower has shoots of a tetrahedral or round cross-section, on which cork growths sometimes form. In nature, some types of euonymus reach a height of 4 meters. Euonymus leaves are simple, opposite, shiny, jagged, dark green in color, but some varieties are distinguished by cream, white or silvery spots in the center or on the edges of the leaf blade. Euonymus blooms with inconspicuous yellow-greenish, cream or burgundy flowers that emit an unpleasant odor and are collected in 4-5 pieces in brushes or corymbs. The fruit of the euonymus is a dry, leathery, four- to five-locular capsule with seeds, spiny or winged, which, depending on the type, acquires a pink, scarlet, crimson, burgundy, yellow or dark purple color when ripe. The stems of the euonymus are also painted in bright colors. Euonymus fruits, like all other parts of the plant, are poisonous.
Planting euonymus
When to plant euonymus
The best time for planting euonymus is the beginning of spring, although autumn planting of euonymus is also acceptable. It is good if the site for the euonymus is in light partial shade, although the variegated euonymus prefers bright sunlight. The soil for euonymus should be light, fertile, permeable and, preferably, slightly alkaline or neutral. Acidic soil must be limed before planting. In addition, euonymus does not like high groundwater levels. When choosing a site for euonymus, keep in mind that it grows greatly in width, and some species grow in height, so do not plant the plant too close to trees and maintain sufficient distance between bushes and buildings. It is better to plant dwarf species of euonymus in large boxes or pots, keep them in the garden in the summer, and bring them into a cool room for the winter. Thus, the same plant can be considered both as a garden euonymus and as an indoor euonymus.
How to plant euonymus
The planting hole for euonymus, dug at least two weeks before planting, should be one and a half times larger in volume than the root system of the seedling. Mix the top layer of soil removed from the hole with compost. Add a layer of sand or broken brick to the bottom of the hole as drainage, then a little soil with compost, and if the soil in the area is acidic, then add 200 g of slaked lime to each planting hole, mixing it with compost and soil. Lower the euonymus seedling into the hole, carefully straighten its roots and fill the hole with the same mixture - soil with compost, compacting it as the space is filled so that air pockets do not form. The root collar of the seedling should be flush with the surface of the site. If you decide to plant euonymus seedlings for a hedge, it is better to dig a trench for this. Immediately after planting, water the euonymus and do this daily for a week.
Euonymus care
Watering the euonymus is carried out as needed. To make it easier for you to care for your euonymus in the garden, mulch the tree trunk circle with dry soil immediately after watering. Subsequently, loosen the soil in the tree trunk circle a day or two after watering at least three times a season. But if it rains regularly, do not water the euonymus at all - it does not need a lot of water, and excess moisture in the roots will only harm it. Caring for euonymus involves feeding the plant twice a day during the spring-summer season with mineral fertilizers: the first time in the spring, the second time in the fall.
Pruning euonymus
The euonymus loves a haircut, it reacts to it with active branching, so there is no need to be afraid to trim the euonymus. Due to the fact that most euonymus fruits are decorations, formative trimming of the euonymus is carried out either in early spring or after fruiting; during the growing season, only partial sanitary thinning, removal of weak shoots and pinching of the tops can be used. Using pruning, the crown of the euonymus is formed - conical or ellipsoidal. Many people prefer to form a standard tree from euonymus.
Pests and diseases of euonymus
The main pests of euonymus are aphids, mealybugs, spider mites and caterpillars. Spider mites and aphids feed on euonymus sap, leaving light, silvery puncture points on the leaves, causing the leaves and young shoots to become deformed. The fight against these pests is carried out using three times weekly treatment of euonymus with Actellik solution at the rate of 1-2 ml of the drug per liter of water. Mealybugs, which form cotton wool-like deposits and honeydew on euonymus leaves, are destroyed by two-stage treatment of the plant with Aktara, Confidor, Fitoverm with a break of a week or ten days.
As for caterpillars, if you notice their nests on the euonymus, it is better to remove them manually. By the way, pay attention: if caterpillars are found on the euonymus, then the apple trees and other fruit trees adjacent to it are clean! It seems that the euonymus lures pests to itself in order to save your harvest.
Among the diseases, euonymus can be affected by powdery mildew and trunk rot. Trunk rot is a serious fungal disease that is difficult to treat; it is easier to play it safe and carry out preventive treatment of euonymus in spring and autumn with a one percent Bordeaux mixture or preparations that replace it. Affected areas of the plant must be removed and burned, and if the damage is too severe, the entire plant will have to be burned. A fungal disease is also such a common disease as powdery mildew, and it is combated with fungicides Fundazol, Topaz, Skor or Previkur, and there should be 3-4 treatment sessions at intervals of a week.
Euonymus propagation
How to propagate euonymus
Euonymus propagates by seeds, layering, dividing the bush and cuttings. Varieties with variegated, red and yellow leaves reproduce exclusively vegetatively.
Reproduction of euonymus by layering
In spring, low-growing shoots of the mother plant are bent to the ground, placed in a groove previously made in the soil, secured in it and sprinkled with soil, leaving only the tip of the shoot on the surface. Such cuttings easily form their own roots, and after rooting they can be transplanted to a permanent place.
Propagation of euonymus by cuttings
Euonymus cuttings are cut from the tops of semi-lignified shoots in June or July from plants no younger than five years old. The length of the cutting is about 7 cm, it should have one internode. The cut of the cutting is treated with a root former, planted in a mixture of peat and sand and kept under a film in a cool, bright place. After one and a half to two months, the rooted cuttings are planted in open ground on a training bed and grown.
Reproduction of euonymus by root suckers
Strong root shoots no more than 40-50 cm high are separated from the mother plant in early spring, as soon as the soil warms up. The thickness of the root of the scion should be at least one and a half centimeters, and the length 25-30 cm. Without shaking off the soil from the roots, the scion should be immediately transplanted to a permanent place or grown to the desired size.
Reproduction of euonymus by dividing the bush
This method is convenient for propagating dwarf varieties, since their root system is shallow and produces fresh root shoots every year. Carefully cut off the root shoots along with part of the rhizome from the mother plant with a shovel, cut the shoots by 2/3 and plant them in a permanent place. The euonymus tolerates this procedure easily and painlessly.
Propagation of euonymus by seeds
It is better to sow freshly collected euonymus seeds directly into the soil in the fall, then mulch the planting for the winter with leaves or straw. If you decide to sow euonymus in the spring, stratify the seeds for six months in the refrigerator, but before that, soak them in water for a couple of days.
Euonymus in winter
Euonymus in autumn
We hope that planting and caring for euonymus during the growing season did not seem tedious to you. It is easy to care for the plant even before the onset of winter. When the seed pods begin to crack, it is time to collect the seeds. Immediately after collection, euonymus seeds are planted in moistened soil, having first removed the seed plants and treated the seed with a pink solution of potassium permanganate. Crops are covered with straw or dry fallen leaves for the winter.
Wintering of euonymus
Young plants that are under three years old must be covered with spruce branches or dry leaves for the winter, otherwise they may die. Adult bushes overwinter without shelter, but to prevent the roots from freezing in a snowless winter, it would be wise to mulch the tree trunk with sawdust or leaves.
Types and varieties of euonymus
There are many types of euonymus in nature, and there are many of them in culture. We offer you an introduction to cultivated species of euonymus, as well as their varieties. Let's start with the types that have already been mentioned in this article.
Euonymus verrucosa (Euonymus verrucosa)
distributed in nature in the European part of Russia, in the mountains of Southern, South-Eastern and Central Europe. It is a shrub up to two meters high or a tree five to six meters high with bright green shoots and branches strewn with black warts. The leaves are light green, the flowers are brownish, the fruits are pink with red-brown seedheads. In autumn, this species is especially attractive: the leaves turn pink on the bright green shoots. Euonymus warty grows slowly, it is shade-tolerant and unpretentious, and is often used in ornamental gardening.
European Euonymus (Euonymus europaea)
grows in Europe and Asia Minor on any soil in deciduous forests and high on slopes. It is a small tree up to six meters high, most often growing as a bush. Young shoots of this species are green, sometimes with longitudinal corky growths, and old branches are almost black. The ovate or obovate leathery leaf of the European euonymus, up to 11 cm long, has a dark green color, and in the fall it acquires a red tint. The fruits are pink or dark red when ripe, the seed is covered with an orange apex. This species is drought-resistant, winter-hardy, and tolerates urban gas pollution well. The European euonymus in the garden stands out against the background of the usual yellow-golden color of other plants in autumn. More than 20 decorative forms of this species are known, characterized by less winter hardiness: weeping, dwarf, aucubifolia, intermediate, purple, silver-spotted and others.
Winged euonymus (Euonymus alata)
grows in groups or singly on rocks, in river valleys and along mountain streams, as well as in shady deciduous forests of China, Japan, Korea and Southern Sakhalin. It is a highly branched shrub up to 2.5 meters high or a tree up to 4 m high with tetrahedral branches with light gray bark, shiny obovate or rhombic leathery leaves of dark green color and small greenish flowers collected in threes in an inflorescence. Ripe boxes are bright red. The species has about 20 forms and varieties. The most famous of them:
- Compactus- a small shrub, not exceeding two meters in width and height, with a compact dome-shaped crown and inconspicuous flowers. The leaves are oval, light green, changing color to bright red in autumn, the fruits are red, the pericarps are orange. Winter-hardy, but sensitive to drought and overheating.
Fortune's euonymus (Euonymus fortunei)
Found naturally in China, it has earned extraordinary popularity among gardeners and is now grown even in fairly cool areas. This species is not at all the same as those already described by us; planting and caring for Fortune's euonymus differs from the agrotechnical conditions of most euonymuses. The fact is that Fortune's euonymus is not an upright growing shrub, but a creeping shrub, which is one of the few evergreens that can grow in the middle zone: in winter it is completely covered with snow, and this provides it with shelter from frost. The leaves of representatives of this species are leathery, elliptical and shiny, up to 4 cm long, with uneven, slightly curved edges. Numerous decorative forms of this species differ in leaf color. Fortune's euonymus forms reproduce only vegetatively. Here are some of the varieties:
- Gracilis- a ground cover plant with shoots reaching a length of one and a half meters, and yellowish leaves, which over time turn white at the edges and turn red in the middle;
- Vegetus- a plant with thick shoots and large round leaves and light yellow shiny fruits;
- Emerald Gold- an evergreen, slowly growing shrub up to half a meter high, and capable of growing up to one and a half meters wide. The leaves are variegated, yellowish, up to 5 cm long, the edges are covered with random yellow spots and streaks, and in the fall they become red.
Caring for Fortune's euonymus, like caring for any type of euonymus, involves loosening and mulching the soil, cutting, but in addition to weak and diseased shoots, it is necessary to remove shoots that are too green, those that differ from the shoots characteristic of this species and variety.
Japanese euonymus (Euonymus japonica), or pseudolaurel
- the only species grown both as a houseplant and as a garden plant. Under natural conditions, Japanese euonymus, which is a close relative of Fortune's euonymus, grows up to seven meters in height. Its branches extend from the trunk at a slight angle, as if it is all striving upward. The leaves of the Japanese euonymus are large, dense, pointed and leathery, uneven at the edges, dark green with a light border. The peculiarity of this species is that it needs certain conditions to grow, and if they are not created, then, having started to grow in early spring, it will then simply freeze. If the conditions are suitable for the euonymus, then in a year it adds 15-20 cm in height. The most famous forms of Japanese euonymus:
- Mediopictus– a variety with golden leaves and green edges;
- Latifolius Albomarginatus– a variety with green leaves with a wide white rim;
- Macrophylla– a variety with large leaves up to 7 cm long;
- Aureo-marginata– leaves with a golden border;
- Pyramidata– a pyramidal bush with wide elliptical leaves;
- Microphyllus– a variegated form up to half a meter high, no more than 15 cm in diameter, with yellow-green raised leaves and white flowers.
Caring for Japanese euonymus is not much different from caring for indoor plants in winter and garden plants in spring and summer. This plant is one of those that is best grown in large boxes or pots, and in winter brought into a cool room in which the Japanese euonymus will wait for spring, since it is not able to tolerate temperatures below 5 ºC.
In addition to the described species, large-winged, dwarf, red-fruited, Koopman, Maak, Maksimovich, Sakhalin, sacred, broad-leaved and others are also grown in culture.
Properties of euonymus
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Euonymus
Simple, perfectly adapted to harsh climates and at the same time inimitably bright and elegant, euonymus is a unique shrub. A wide variety of species of different heights and decorativeness make it possible to use euonymus in forest imitations, in natural plantings, and in regular or modern styles. Stability and bright details are the main advantages of this familiar, but not boring shrub.
Reliable shrub with high decorative value
The euonymus received its name Euonymus, associated with the Latin “good, glorious,” because of its exceptional practical and decorative advantages. Toxicity is the only drawback of these plants. Euonymuses are magnificent all-rounders, attracting attention with their bright autumn leaves and fruits no less than with their beautiful transparent crown.
Euonymus are evergreen and deciduous low shrubs or trees with beautiful round or tetrahedral shoots, most often covered with cork growths and warts. The leaves are smooth, leathery, from lanceolate to oval, small in creeping species, up to 11 cm in shrubby ones. The basic dark or bright green summer outfit is usually combined with dazzling light young leaves and pure acrylic colors of autumn foliage - pink, red, crimson, white , violet, purple, orange colors. There are euonymuses that look like a solid “candy” spot, and there are species that captivate with a combination of dozens of shades.
The flowers are inconspicuous, collected in the axils of the leaves in semi-umbrellas, and are hardly noticeable against the background of the leaves. Euonymus blooms during the unfolding of leaves, at the end of spring. But the fruits, even though they ripen for a long time - until September-October, are irresistible. A winged, leathery capsule with four wing-lobes and seeds covered with a fleshy, bright seedling looks original and dazzling, as if clusters of berries are hanging down from the flower. The red or pink color of the wings is combined with the orange, red or pink color of the aneurysms. Bright fruits decorate gardens even after the plant has shed all its leaves.
Euonymuses are one of the most reliable shrubs that add interesting color and texture to the garden. They reach their peak in decorativeness in the fall, but there is also something to admire during the rest of the year.
Growing conditions and planting
Euonymuses are amazingly unpretentious and resilient plants. They are perfectly compatible with urban conditions, are smoke-resistant, and are not afraid of a polluted environment and even proximity to the roadway. They adapt well to different lighting conditions. All euonymus can grow in the sun and in partial shade or shade, although some species have their own characteristics (Maak's euonymus is light-loving, sacred euonymus is shade-loving). Variegated forms and varieties prefer bright lighting.
Euonymus demonstrates similar plasticity in terms of soil selection. In any place where there is no stagnation of groundwater, they will take root. These shrubs develop better on loose, neutral or slightly alkaline, nutritious and light soils, but in general they are undemanding in terms of fertility.
Euonymuses are not afraid of transplantation; provided the simplest conditions are met - maintaining the same level of burial, planting in spacious individual holes, abundant watering - they take root well.
The most frost-resistant and often cultivated in our country include the warty, winged and European euonymus species. And one of the most decorative species - Fortune's euonymus - will require special care, since in winter it can freeze in most of Russia.
Features of care
In general, euonymus can be classified as a “plant and forget” shrub. They do not need care as such, but without at least several procedures it will be impossible to achieve abundant fruiting and admire the luxurious necklaces of fruits.
Optimal care for euonymus includes:
1) one single feeding;
2) 3-4 waterings in summer during drought (for young plants it is better to provide systematic procedures when the top layer of soil dries out);
3) soil mulching, which is renewed every spring;
4) loosening the soil and controlling weeds as necessary;
5) sanitary cleaning (removal of damaged or dry branches);
6) formation of bushes if desired, which can be done after fruiting (both light and heavy pruning with bushes are tolerated well, provided there is dense tillering).
The main disadvantage of euonymus is that they are very attractive to pests. All known garden pests of both ornamental and fruit plants can settle on them. Problems can be dealt with by preventive spraying with systemic fungicides.
Wintering of euonymuses
Even euonymuses, which are considered rare or exclusive, are among the best varieties, winter hardiness is sufficient to withstand harsh winters. Partial freezing of annual shoots, as a rule, does not affect the decorative appearance of the bushes and does not lead to their death. But the wide distribution of imported euonymus, which have not undergone adaptation, has somewhat changed the general rules of preparation for winter.
If the plants were grown or adapted in your area, then they do not need any preparation. But varieties of unknown origin or ordered from Western catalogs can be seriously damaged in the first 2-3 winters. After the onset of stable light frosts, it is better to additionally cover them with spuds and dry leaves at least 15 cm high. Even very young Fortune euonymus will not need complete cover.
Reproduction of euonymus
These shrubs can be propagated by simple methods - dividing the bushes, separating root suckers - or by cutting young shoots (cuttings are cut in mid or early summer and rooted under a hood).
It is more difficult to obtain euonymus from seeds; they require stratification or waiting for the emergence of seedlings for 2 years. Seedlings are grown in a separate bed for 2 years and transferred to a permanent place only in the third year.
Types and varieties of euonymus
Of the more than two hundred species of euonymus, all plants without exception are decorative, attractive, and promising in different styles of landscape design. But still, some shortcomings of wild euonymus have led to the identification of a group of species that are more popular as cultivated plants.
Of the three dozen plants actively used in modern landscape design, dwarf and creeping euonymuses have earned particular popularity.
Fortune's euonymus (Euonymus fortunei)
- the most favorite type of creeping euonymus with the most varied foliage colors. Long horizontal shoots create stunningly beautiful spots and coverings, sparkling with shiny small leaves. In varieties, dark green color is less common than variegated and unusual variations with different edges and spotting. The flowers are small, the fruits are much less noticeable and wingless. The plant is inimitable in borders, as a ground cover, as a filler, and as a soloist. Popular forms and varieties:
"Emerald"n Gold" - leaves are dark green with white veins and a yellow border along the edge;
"Emerald Gaiety" - differs from the previous one in the whitish edging of the leaves;
"Coloratus" - the leaves acquire an autumn purple color only on their lower side, remaining green on top;
"Minimus" is a very miniature euonymus with dark green leaves measuring just over a centimeter;
"Radicans" is an evergreen variety with matte leaves, capable of strengthening its roots on trees and walls, acting as a vine, shade-tolerant;
‘Silver Queen’, ‘Variegatus’, ‘Harlequin’ – variegated euonymus.
Dwarf euonymus (Euonymus nanus) - a low-growing creeping shrub up to only 1 m high, famous for its ability of shoots to take root at the nodes, giving numerous ascending peaks. It develops in the form of an evergreen, dense, stunningly beautiful curly clump of ascending and creeping shoots. Young branches are light green, with warts, and gradually change color to grayish-beige. The leaves are medium-sized, up to 4 cm in length, very narrow, with a curved edge and a dazzlingly bright color. The flowers in semi-umbrellas are small, the fruits are pink or yellow. But it is very rare to observe berries on this euonymus.
But larger types of euonymus also deserve attention and widespread use.
Winged euonymus (Euonymus alatus) - large, highly branched, looking like a stunning transparent-tiered miracle shrubs up to 2.5 m high, slightly lower is the miniature variety "Compactus". Their shoots are winged, tetrahedral, light gray, young branches are almost red, large rhombic leaves with a dark color change color to crimson-red in the fall. The fruits are dark, bright red. But the main advantage of the species is precisely the beauty of the branches.
European euonymus (Euonymus europaeus) - a bushy, slender tree, in gardens reaching, if not six meters, but more than three meters in height. Young shoots are green, with beautiful corky growths. The leaves are large, ovate, muted green. In autumn, the foliage turns all shades of red. The fruits are four-leaf, red, very large, with orange appendages. Thanks to its dense root system, it can serve to strengthen slopes. Popular variety "Red Cascade", reaching 5 m in height under favorable conditions. Much lower is the miniature variety "Nana", often grown as a small standard tree.
Euonymus macropterus - a large tree up to 9 m high in nature, in the garden it most often develops in the form of tall shrubs, from 2 to 3 m in height. Dark bark and large oblong-oval leaves create a beautiful openwork crown. The greenish-white flowers are inconspicuous, but the four-lobed fruit capsules with crimson wings are red-bloody, spectacular, catchy. The species bears fruit already in mid-September.
Dark purple euonymus (Euonymus atropurpureus) - a tall shrub with a narrow crown almost half the height, with beautiful shoots, light green summer leaves, scarlet berries in non-standard fruit clusters and a dazzling carmine autumn color of the crown.
Maack's euonymus (Euonymus maackii) - developing in the form of a slender translucent tree or a widely spread but graceful shrub with spreading branches, bright orange fruits that ripen in October. The species became famous primarily for its unique umbrella-shaped crown, dark bark, grayish leaves, which in the summer show off a light green tone, and in the fall - a pastel pink color, as if glowing in the rays of the sun. The fruits are pink-violet. This is a stunningly airy plant that adds lightness to any design despite its size.
Sakhalin euonymus (Euonymus sachalinensis) - a tall, powerful shrub up to 2.5 m high with an airy, elegant crown and large leaves, more than 10 cm in length. Carmine fruits with yellowish seedlings sparkle against the backdrop of a variegated autumn crown, gradually repainting into ever brighter colors.
Euonymus verrucosus- a shrub about 2 m high, with bright green shoots covered with black warts, a transparent lacy crown and inconspicuous flowers that glow against the background of the leaves. Grayish leaves emphasize the color of pink fruits with brown seedlings, which seem to precede a pink fire that engulfs the entire crown.
Euonymus maximowiczianus - a shrub up to 3 m high with a very beautiful openwork pattern of a translucent crown. The foliage is delicate, light green, and light pink in autumn. Against its background, dark red fruits clearly appear. This euonymus brings a backlit effect to autumn landscapes.
Hamilton's Euonymus (Euonymus hamiltonianus) - a common species in nature, growing in the form of a tall shrub up to 3-5 meters in size, or a tree, reaching 20 meters in height in some parts of the world. Has all the characteristic features of euonymus. The variety "Winter Glory" is often found in landscape design.
Use in garden design
Creeping euonymus creates dense, massive, curly-dense, ornamental textures. Bush or tree-shaped euonymuses with their densely branching crowns, on the contrary, never look dense or massive. The leaves are sparse and small, the shoots are densely branched, thanks to which this shrub always looks like an openwork-lace, transparent miracle, glowing in the sun. Visual lightness and unique mosaic ornamentation make it possible to introduce euonymus into compositions with trees and other shrubs to compensate for more massive plants.
Large euonymus can play a variety of roles:
- an openwork, visually light addition to shrubs and trees with a dense crown;
- autumn accent;
- plants for hedges;
- air “illumination” for large groups”;
- colorful background;
- soloist;
- luminous element in loose landscape groups;
- transparent undergrowth;
- a skeletal plant, attractive in winter due to its bright fruits.
PLANTS FOR STRENGTHENING A SLOP
Creeping euonymuses use:
- for filling the soil;
- in rocky gardens and alpine slides;
- to create variegated and contrasting spots;
- in ceremonial flower beds;
- for the edge;
- in the design of the foreground of flower beds;
- as a border crop;
- as a ground cover plant;
- in arrays.
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