Euonymus: photo and description of the bush

A spindle tree is a tree or shrub with a very distinctive and striking appearance. Euonymus leaves can change color during the season, and its fruits are a wonderful decoration for an autumn garden. This plant is widespread due to its use in landscape design. Next, various varieties, photos and descriptions of the euonymus will be presented.

Euonymus - edible or not

The answer to the question of whether the euonymus is poisonous or not has long been found. Almost all types of euonymus are poisonous. In addition, its fruits have a very unattractive taste that induces a gag reflex.

The concentration of poisonous alkaloids in the fruits and stems of the plant is not so great, therefore, in order to get poisoned by them, you need to eat a large enough amount of berries, which, given their extremely unpleasant taste, is very unlikely. And, nevertheless, the plant should be handled with sufficient care, not allowing its juice to get on the mucous membranes.

In addition, children may have age-related flavor distortion, and the amount of bush berries eaten may be quite large.

Symptoms of euonymus poisoning can be very diverse, but always include vomiting, diarrhea and pain in the intestines. Actually, this is not surprising, since poisoning with a large amount of poison leads to intestinal bleeding.

Help provided at home with such poisoning will be completely ineffective, so you should definitely call an ambulance service. Poisoning with euonymus poison is lethal, therefore, such symptoms should not be ignored at the slightest suspicion of contact of the victim with the fruits of the euonymus.

Types and varieties of euonymus with a photo

The shrub in question belongs to the eonymus plant family. It has about a hundred genera and about one and a half thousand species. 142 species directly belong to the genus Beresklet, about 25 of which grow on the territory of the Russian Federation.

The most widespread are 2 species, which have taken root well in the middle lane: warty and European spindle trees. Their main habitat is the boundaries of mixed forests.

Euonymus can be either deciduous or evergreen. Its stems often have a characteristic ribbing, however, rounded shoots are sometimes found. The leaves of the spindle tree are always opposite.

Small flowers, although inconspicuous (predominantly dark green or brownish), are very numerous. They are collected in 4-5 pieces in inflorescences of the brush or shield type.Euonymus fruits are four-part capsules, colored orange, bright red or red-brown. They can be seen from afar, and they are very attractive in most varieties of euonymus.

Mostly euonymus is used in landscape design as a hedge; the photo shows an example of a similar design solution:

Below will be presented the most common varieties of euonymus used to decorate gardens, parks and personal plots.

Euonymus Harlequin

A low plant with dense branches, occupying a fairly large area. Height - up to half a meter. Able to braid fences up to 1.5 m high. It belongs to evergreens (does not shed them in winter). The real color of its leaves is variegated, including white, green and pink shades. The leaves are medium-sized, up to 4 cm long and 3 cm wide.

Refers to creeping varieties. It is ideal for use as a curb or alpine slide. Prefers partial shade, but can grow in the sun. Requires neutral soil.

Big-winged spindle tree

Ornamental trees and shrubs of the great-winged euonymus can reach up to 9 m in height. The plant has flat shoots of a wide variety of colors. Dark green or blue-violet shades prevail. A feature of the shoots is the presence of small warty growths.

The plant blooms in late spring. The inflorescences are large enough (up to 21 flowers in one inflorescence) and clearly visible, which is not typical for many varieties of euonymus. The fruits are boxes of various shades of red. The name of the plant comes from the characteristic "wings" of the fruit.

Euonymus Variegatny

A variety originated in Japan. A characteristic feature is the leaves bordered with white or yellowish color. Mainly cultivated as a houseplant, however, in southern regions or regions with mild winters, it can be grown outdoors. The temperature at which the plant does not die should be at least - 10 ° C.

Refers to low shrubs, the growth of which does not exceed 50-60 cm. Does not like waterlogging, the roots may even begin to rot. Requires regular transplants every 3-4 years.

Curly spindle

A variety intended for braiding fences and MAFs. Prefers sunny areas, grows very slowly in the shade. The length of the shoots can reach 4 m. It has several varieties, including dwarf ones, with a shoot height of no more than 1 m, are used as cover plants.

It can independently braid objects up to 1 m high without additional supports. Prefers slightly alkaline soils. Due to high growth rates, it requires abundant watering and frequent feeding - up to 1-2 times a month.

Hamilton's euonymus

The homeland of the plant is Central Asia, however, the plant feels great in a temperate climate, it was even introduced to the United States. A feature of cultivation is the absolute unpretentiousness of the species.

Height, depending on growing conditions, can reach from 3 to 20 m. Inflorescences have 4 large flowers. Due to their large number, flowering occurs for almost three months from April to July. Fruiting - from August to November. All this time, the plant has a very attractive appearance.

Yellow euonymus

The bush of this variety has a spherical shape. The diameter of the "ball" can be up to 1 m. The shoots are strong and straight. Leaves up to 5 cm long, up to 3 cm wide. A characteristic feature is the yellow color of the foliage, which it acquires within a few weeks after blooming.

Requires loose and dry soils. Prefers sunny areas, in partial shade the growth rate is reduced by 10-20%, however, the bush is able to reach the same size as in the sun.

Green eonymus

The plant is native to Southeast Asia. It is a tree-like shrub, reaching a height of up to 5 m.When grown, it rarely reaches 2.5 m.Refers to evergreens. Leaves up to 7 cm long and 3 cm wide.

In landscape design, it is used mainly for the formation of hedges. Dwarf shapes are ideal for curbs. It can grow on rocky soil and go without water for a long time.

Siebold's euonymus

Shrub, up to 4 m high. In cold climates - no more than 2 m. It has dense leaves of rather large sizes (up to 17 cm in length and 9 cm in width). The flowers are large, up to 15 mm in diameter, the inflorescences are also not small: they include up to 17 flowers.

Flowering occurs at the end of May. Despite the nondescript flowers (they are light green), the plant is transformed due to their large number. The duration of flowering is up to 1 month, after which fruiting occurs. The number of fruits is very large, which makes the plant a very attractive option for certain design solutions.

Dwarf euonymus

It belongs to evergreen ornamental plants with small shoots. Their height rarely exceeds 0.4-0.5 m.However, occasionally vertical shoots can reach up to 1 m.The leaves of this variety are 3-4 cm long, they are narrow (no more than 1 cm in width) and finely toothed ...

Prefers shade, does not like the sun. Even in partial shade it grows very slowly. It is a long-lived plant, can live up to 60 years. Ornamental trees and shrubs of dwarf euonymus are used both for the design of borders and for filling flower beds and mixborders.

Coopman's euonymus

Refers to "semi-evergreen" shrubs of low growth. Shoot height rarely exceeds 1 m. It has a transparent crown with a slight degree of thickening. Shoots are predominantly white-green in color. The leaves are very narrow, up to 10 cm long.

Flowering occurs in May, fruiting in August. During these periods, the plant is very decorative. The lifespan of one plant is 25-30 years. It is used to create small borders, rock gardens and ridges.

Euonymus Compactus

An ornamental dense shrub with a wide crown and leaves, the color of which changes to pink-red by autumn. It has a height of no more than 120 cm, however, the crown diameter can reach 2 m. It prefers to grow on sandy loam and loam, which is not typical for euonymus.

Very light-requiring, it manifests itself well in sunny areas. It tolerates cutting and trimming normally, therefore it can be used as a low formed hedge. Mandatory sanitization twice a season due to high growth rates.

Eonymus red

A variety of British origin. A large shrub, with spreading shoots, up to 4 m in height and 2-3 m in diameter. With prolonged cultivation, it can "turn" into a tree from a shrub. The foliage changes color twice a season: at the end of summer it becomes slightly crimson, and in the middle of autumn it turns into a bright purple carpet.

Grows in full sun or partial shade. Undemanding to soil types. It can grow even on excessively damp soils and in urban conditions. It is used as part of a flower bed design or as a free-standing plant.

Maak's euonymus

Refers to deciduous shrubs that can reach up to 10 m in height. Often the central shoot turns into a kind of "trunk", which is why this variety is often referred to as trees. Leaves up to 12 cm long, 8 to 30 mm wide. Has a Far Eastern origin.

Prefers sunny areas and moist soils of neutral acidity. Can grow on sandy soils. Ornamental trees and shrubs of Poppy euonymus are mainly used as free-standing plants or in a flower ensemble in flower beds.

Beresklet Maksimovich

A fairly large shrub, in rare cases a tree. The height of the artisanal form is up to 4 m, the height of the tree is up to 7 m. Refers to varieties that change color. In September, the leaves change color from light green to purple. Its fruits have the same color and, after the leaves fall off, help the plant to maintain its decorative effect.Flowering begins in May and lasts up to 1 month.

The plant has a low growth rate. So, fruiting occurs after 10 years of life. Prefers dry soils, does not like waterlogging. The acidity of the soil is necessarily alkaline.

Flat petiolate euonymus

It is a short tree (up to 3 m) or a very thinned shrub with olive-colored shoots. Very often, the shoots or trunk of this variety is covered with a bluish tinge. The plant is of Chinese origin.

The leaves are very long - up to 19 cm in length. Width up to 9 cm. Inflorescences have a record number of flowers - up to 30 pieces. The flower stalks themselves are also quite noticeable - their height reaches 15 cm. Ornamental trees and shrubs of the flat petiolate euonymus are used as single plants or as a central plant in a group.

Creeping euonymus

Creeping euonymus or ground cover refers to the dwarf forms of this plant, the height of which in the vertical plane does not exceed 30-40 cm.However, its shoots can be up to several meters long, spreading over the soil surface and braiding small landscape elements in the form of stones or stumps ...

The variety in question is mainly used to create continuous covers on alpine hills or lawns. The area covered by one plant is up to 12-15 sq. m. The plant loves partial shade and moist soil.

Ground cover eonymus is shown in the photo below:

Cork euonymus

Plant originating from China. It is a winter-hardy shrub up to 2.5 m high with strong shoots that can branch very well. A feature of the plant is the appearance of a layer of cork bark on the shoots of adult plants. This layer is characterized by high strength and beautiful appearance.

It prefers soils of moderate moisture and, despite the fact that it does not like excessively moist soil, requires abundant watering. Grows in moderately alkaline soils. It is not critical to lighting - it can grow both in the sun and in the shade.

Ornamental trees and shrubs of cork spindle tree are used mainly as single plantings.

Euonymus Red cascade

It is considered one of the best plants for creating decorative hedges. The height of the bush reaches 4 m, and its diameter is up to 3 m. The leaves are dark green in summer, bright purple or bright yellow in autumn.

Prefers sunny areas. Possesses high frost resistance and drought resistance. Undemanding to soil.

Despite the drought resistance, it requires abundant watering and top dressing. Feels good in urban pollution.

Pink euonymus

A spherical shrub, up to 1.5 m high and up to 2 m in diameter. Leaves up to 10 cm long, 2-3 cm wide.

The color change from light green to pink occurs, traditionally, with the onset of autumn. The fruits appear after the leaves begin to change color.

Grows on neutral soils with low humidity. Prefers partial shade, but will feel normal in the sun. It is an ornamental plant intended for growing as free-standing elements or central elements of a composition.

Euonymus Sunspot

An evergreen oval-shaped shrub. The height of the plant is small - up to 30 cm, and the diameter of the crown is about 60-70 cm. Its color is similar to the color of the Harlequin variety, but it is expressed exactly the opposite: the light areas of the leaves are not along the perimeter, but in the middle.

Refers to indoor varieties, since it has low frost resistance. Even with a minimal "minus", the plant dies, therefore it is not intended for growing in open ground in the Russian climate.

Sakhalinsky euonymus

Deciduous shrub of Far Eastern origin.The height of the plant is up to 2 m, the shoots are very densely located, the foliage of an adult plant practically hides them. The leaves themselves are up to 11 cm long and up to 8 cm wide. They have a leathery structure and shine in the sun.

The plant blooms in July, fruiting in September. Prefers sunny areas and loose dry soil. However, it can grow on rocky or sandy soils with sufficient fertilization. It is used as an ornamental plant to create borders and fences.

Sacred eonymus

Low plant with a crown up to 1.5 m in height and the same diameter. Crohn has a high degree of branching. The leaves are brown all summer, turn bright red in autumn. In this case, the color change occurs almost simultaneously with the ripening of the fruit.

Grows on neutral dry soils. Loves the sun, grows slowly in the shade and partial shade. Ornamental trees and shrubs of the sacred euonymus have universal application. In design, they can be used both as individual, single elements, and as hedges or fillings for flower beds.

Creeping euonymus variegated

It is a kind of creeping spindle tree with a slightly different color of leaves. It is variegated, and the core of the leaves remains green, and at the edges they turn white or yellow. The height of the cover can reach 30 cm, and the surface area covered by one bush reaches 13 square meters. m.

Planting and caring for variegated spindle tree is quite simple and trivial. Subject to the basic rules of plant care (maintaining neutral soil acidity, infrequent watering, feeding with complex fertilizer twice a season and regular pruning), the plant feels great and does not need any additional care.

Euonymus Fireball

In fact, it is a kind of red or winged euonymus with the only difference that the crown has a more spherical shape and greater density. The rest of the characteristics are identical to the red euonymus.

Plant height is 3-4 m, crown diameter is the same. Undemanding to soil, prefers to grow in the sun. In shade or partial shade, the shape of the crown without pruning will be far from an ideal ball.

Euonymus Chicago Fire

Also a kind of red euonymus, but more "flattened". The crown height rarely exceeds 2 m, but its diameter can reach 3.5 m. The color of the leaves changes at the end of August.

Grows in sunny areas. In the shade, it almost never changes color, although it can reach the same size. Prefers neutral or slightly alkaline soils. Frost resistance up to - 25 ° С.

Broad-leaved spindle tree

It belongs to upright ornamental shrubs up to 5 m high. It has large leaves (12 cm long and 8-10 cm wide). The leaves are bright green. The color does not change during the season. Flowering begins in June and lasts approximately 1.5 months. Fruit ripening occurs in September.

Prefers shade or partial shade with moist soil. It grows equally well on soils with any acidity. Frost resistance up to - 30 ° С. In design, they are used as a hedge, but it is difficult to call it frequent use. The plant has a very strong odor and can cause allergies.

Euonymus Emeraldgaeti

Evergreen creeping euonymus, reaching a height of no more than 25 cm. The size of the leaves is 4 by 3 cm. The edge of the leaf has a white or yellow border, about a few mm thick. Flowering occurs in early summer, its duration is about a month.

It grows both in the sun and in the shade. It has no requirements for soil, neither moisture nor acidity. It is a plant that can withstand almost any conditions. Withstands frosts down to - 30 ° С. The only problems with growing are anthracnose and powdery mildew. To combat them, preventive spraying is recommended at the beginning of the season.

Euonymus Emeraldgold

The bushes of this variety grow up to 60 cm in height. The crown diameter can reach up to 1.5 m. The bush is quite dense, with medium or high growth rates. Leaves are leathery, oblong, up to 4 cm long. The color of the leaves is yellowish-green.

The plant reaches normal development only in sunny areas. Prefers moist soils, which nevertheless need to be well drained. However, it tolerates drought well. Moderate frost resistance - the plant is able to withstand frosts down to -25 ° C. It is used as borders, bedding fillers and a standard plant.

Features of euonymus care

Depending on the variety of euonymus, caring for it can be very diverse. Therefore, before choosing a plant for a particular design solution, you should study the features of caring for a particular variety so that there are no unpleasant surprises.

Mostly the plant prefers partial shade. Although, there are exceptions: for example, Maak's euonymus loves sunny areas. While the warty and European varieties, which are widespread in Russia, have the highest growth rates in the shade.

The plant prefers fertile soil with good aeration. The soil should be sufficiently soft and loose. The level of soil modes should be no less than 70 cm deep, since excessive moisture of the roots, although it will not be detrimental to the plant, will significantly reduce its growth rate. The same applies to heavy clay soils and even loamy soils.

The acidity of the soil should be slightly alkaline (pH from 7.5 to 8., 5), in extreme cases, it is allowed to plant the plant on neutral soil. Too acidic soils need liming with lime or wood ash.

After planting, caring for the plant is quite simple and includes loosening the soil and infrequent watering. The plant tolerates drought much better than waterlogging, so it is not worth watering more than 1 time in 3 weeks.

Plant feeding should be carried out twice a year: in early spring and in mid-summer. In both cases, a complex fertilizer for ornamental plants is used. It is best to add it diluted in water, pouring out the liquid 20-30 cm from the trunk.

The plant needs sanitary pruning every spring. Their procedure is standard: removal of diseased, dead and broken branches.

For the winter, it is advisable to cover young plants with foliage or spruce branches. The thickness of the cover layer should be at least 30 cm. In early spring, in order to avoid the overwhelming of young plants, the cover should be removed after the first thaw. As soon as the euonymus reaches 3-4 years of age, it does not need shelter, since adult plants can tolerate frosts down to -35-40 ° C.

If the care of the plant is correct, it practically does not suffer from diseases. The only problem for him will be the spider mite. This is a rather serious pest that requires the use of highly effective agents, for example, a wide range of acaricides, which can be Actellik. In some cases, even prophylactic treatment of euonymus with acaricides is recommended.

Conclusion

Considering the varieties, photos and descriptions of euonymus, we can conclude that the potential for using this plant in landscape design is very high. Different in size, color and cultivation, these relative plants are an endless source of inspiration for any designer or gardener. Among the variety of varieties considered, it is difficult to find one that would not be suitable for the implementation of a particular design solution.

Recommended entries

Shrub euonymus: planting and care, photo

European spindle tree: photo and characteristics

Winged Euonymus: Compactus, Chicago Fire, Fireball

Ornamental and wild plant warty euonymus

Fortune's euonymus: Emerald Gold, Haiti, Harlequin, Silver Queen

Summer Vine summer vine: photo and description

Cutting boxwood in spring and autumn

Azalea pink: description and photo, planting and care

Clematis botanical Bill Mackenzie: photo, description, reviews