The euonymus plant is an evergreen perennial shrub of the euonymus family. There are about 200 species in the genus, united by common morphological characteristics. Wild forms are found in Asia, America, Europe and Australia. The distribution of this tree shrub is mostly concentrated in the Northern Hemisphere.
Euonymus prefers a temperate climate and grows in river estuaries, valleys, mixed and deciduous forests. Translated from Latin means "glorious tree" or "tree with a good name." Domestic florists call the culture of barlin, night blindness, wolf earrings or bast, sour, blind potatoes or God's eyes.
In horticultural culture, euonymus is grown as a shrub or a small tree for the purpose of decorating a plot, local area, fences or outbuildings. Hedges from are popular in landscape design.
With proper care, euonymus looks very impressive. If you want to add colors to your garden in late autumn or winter, euonymus plantations will be an excellent decorative addition. In the autumn, the openwork foliage, along with the seed pods, is painted in multi-colored shades. The euonymus looks picturesque on the site, its variegated color cannot be replaced. The plant has unpretentiousness, shade tolerance and special decorative effect.
Description of euonymus
Glossy foliage occupies an opposite position on stems covered with cork growths with a rounded or tetrahedral section. Deciduous species of spindle tree, which grow in natural conditions, reach a height of about 4 m. Mature perennial trees have strong wood. After polishing, it is used to make various accessories: hair combs, knitting needles, pencils.
The color of the serrated leaves is predominantly dark green. Varieties have also been bred that have spotted leaves. White, silvery or creamy spots are located closer to the edge or center of the leaf plate.
In the amount of 4-5 pieces, the flowers are collected in corymbose or racemose inflorescences. The flowers themselves do not carry decorative value and exude an unpleasant odor. They can be painted yellow, burgundy or cream.
Fruiting euonymus with leathery capsules. Small seeds hide under dry walls. The capsule consists of 4 or 5 nests, and also has a brightly colored prunus.At the end of the summer season, the ripe fruit takes on a scarlet, burgundy, raspberry, pink or lemon hue.
The peculiarity of the plant is that the roots contain a kind of elastic substance, similar to rubber or milky sap. Due to this, euonymus belongs to gutta-percha plants. All parts of it are considered poisonous, so you need to handle the shrub with extreme caution.
Brief rules for growing euonymus
The table shows brief rules for growing euonymus in the open field.
| Landing | Plant the plant in the first half of spring or late autumn, when trees and shrubs begin to shed their leaves. |
| The soil | For planting, select a light, drained soil with a high content of nutrients. The soil pH should be between 6.5-8. |
| Lighting level | Species with solid green foliage prefer to grow in partial shade, while variegated species need a lot of sunlight. |
| Watering mode | Watering is carried out as needed, in regions where prolonged rains are often observed, the plant should not be additionally watered. |
| Top dressing | The shrubs are fed in the spring, before the beginning of the growing season, as well as in the fall, complex fertilizers are used. |
| Pruning | Sanitary and formative pruning is performed in March or as the fruit ripens. For decorative purposes, the crown is given a conical or ellipsoidal shape. |
| Reproduction | Seeds, cuttings, layering, bush division. |
| Pests | Spider mites, mealybugs, caterpillars, moths, aphids. |
| Diseases | Powdery mildew, as well as decay of the trunk due to improper care. |
Planting euonymus in open ground
The best time and place to land
Saplings planted in spring take root faster, however, autumn planting of euonymus in open ground is allowed, provided that the bush is reliably protected for the winter. Cultivated species with solid green foliage are placed in areas where little shading prevails. Variegated varieties of euonymus are planted in sunny places where the soil has a slightly alkaline nutrient medium. In acidic soils, the plant takes root worse, therefore, it is recommended to pre-add lime and sand to such an area in order to increase air permeability and increase the pH.
In addition, when choosing a location for a future bush, it is important to take into account the danger of groundwater occurrence, otherwise its root system may rot. The plant tends to grow strongly, so keep a decent distance from neighboring plantings before digging a hole.
Dwarf species of euonymus are grown in pots or boxes as indoor plants. They are compact in size, so in winter the containers can be moved from the garden to the veranda or balcony. The root system is resistant to cold, so the seedlings can be in the garden until late autumn.
Landing features
Before you start planting the euonymus, a hole for a seedling is prepared 1.5 months before the event. The size of the hole should be 1.5 times the length of the roots. Drainage is poured at the bottom in the form of broken brick or sand. The soil extracted from the hole is mixed with compost and poured over the drainage.
The acidic soil is diluted with slaked lime (1 tbsp. Of the substance is enough for one hole). The euonymus bush is placed in the middle of the hole, the roots are gently straightened and covered with compost soil so that no air pockets form inside, i.e. the soil is carefully tamped.
The crown of the root collar is not covered with earth, it is important that it is at the level of the site. If you plan to grow a hedge from the euonymus, you should dig a trench instead of a hole.
The euonymus bush planted in open ground is watered abundantly. In the future, the site is moistened daily until the plant properly takes root (about 1 week).
Euonymus care
Watering
The euonymus is watered as soon as the soil around the trunk circle is covered with a dry crust. On rainy days, watering is limited. Spindle tree maintenance can be made easier by covering the area with a layer of mulch, such as dried leaves or dry soil. Mulch is placed after watering so that the moisturizing effect remains longer.
In summer, when all vegetative processes are most active, the soil surface is regularly loosened in the area of the trunk circle. Loosening is started on the 2nd day after watering. Such a moistening plan is guided only in the case of a dry summer. If precipitation often falls in the region where euonymus is grown, the volume of irrigation water is reduced. It should not be allowed that moisture stagnation occurs near the root zone, otherwise the plant will face problems with fungal diseases.
Top dressing
For stable growth and development, spindle trees are fed 2 times during the season. They do it for the first time in the spring, then after the completion of seed ripening - in late autumn. Complex mineral supplements are purchased as fertilizers.
Pruning
The euonymus crown is regularly monitored. Formative pruning allows for branching, trimmed bushes look lush and neat. It is important to remember that, in addition to leaves, fruits are also decorative, therefore crown pruning is organized at the beginning of spring, without removing the seed pods. If you did not have time to prune the crown in time, this can be done in the fall, when fruiting ends.
Sanitary pruning includes heavily thickened shoots that create shade for other branches, as well as deformed and weakened stems. For better bushiness, pinch the tops of the branches. Thanks to the formative pruning, it is possible to give the crown a correct conical shape.
Preparing spindle tree for winter
Preparation for wintering, as well as care for euonymus, does not require special skills. Young seedlings under the age of 3 years need shelter, especially in regions with a harsh climate.
The trunk circle is covered with fallen leaves or spruce branches. Overgrown bushes and trees tolerate wintering painlessly. However, some gardeners advise not to take risks and still cover the roots with at least dry foliage or sawdust. The lack of snow cover can seriously damage the root system, so that it will not recover even by spring.
Diseases and pests
Euonymus bushes often attack mealybugs, caterpillars, aphid colonies and spider mites. The latter of them feed on plant sap, thereby damaging the structure of the leaf. Pale spots form at the puncture sites and at the ends of the eaten leaves. After some time, the growth of young shoots damaged by insects is disrupted.
In the fight against spider mites and aphids, chemicals help, namely Actellik's solution. The ratio of the components: 1-2 mg of substance per 1 liter of water. Spraying is carried out more than once to fix the effect. The interval between procedures should be at least 7 days.
Mealybugs that have settled on a bush leave honeydew and cotton-like lumps on the branches. To remove parasites, Confidor, Aktaru and Fitoverm are used. The break between procedures should be from 1 to 1.5 weeks.
The twisted leaves, which caterpillars have chosen, are cut off by hand and burned outside the site. These insects like the juicy fleshy foliage of the euonymus so much that they will bypass neighboring fruit trees. Therefore, on the other hand, the bush plays the role of "bait".
Euonymus is characterized by resistance to diseases, but sometimes perennial shrubs are affected by rot or powdery mildew. The most dangerous fungal disease that provokes the accumulation of moisture in the root zone is trunk rot. It is very difficult to find an effective treatment for this disease.To avoid the death of the plant, as a preventive measure, it is recommended to spray it twice a year with a solution of 1% Bordeaux liquid. Events are held in the spring, before the beginning of the growing season, and in the fall. The diseased parts are cut off and burned. With an advanced form of the disease, the bush will have to be completely cut out.
Powdery mildew is no less troublesome for the gardener. Saplings, on which traces of powdery mildew are found, are treated 3-4 times with fungicides: Topaz, Previkura, Fundazola. The procedure is repeated no more than once a week.
Spindle tree breeding methods
The euonymus is propagated mainly by the seed method, however, a new seedling can also be obtained from the branches, by grafting or dividing. Successful breeding of variegated varieties with yellow or reddish foliage can only be achieved through vegetative propagation.
Layers
In the spring, they examine the bush and select the healthiest stems from the lower tier. Press down on the soil and put it in a pre-dug groove, securely fixing it, sprinkle it with earth. If the soil is too dry, the grooves are watered. After a while, the layers will acquire roots. After the plants take root, they are separated from the mother bush and transplanted to another location.
Cuttings
Cuttings are harvested only from bushes that have reached the age of five. For this purpose, the tops of semi-lignified branches are suitable. Cuttings are cut in June or July with a length of about 70 cm, leaving one internode at each segment.
The place of the cut is dipped in a stimulant so that the roots appear faster. Then the stalk is stored in a container, where sand and peat are poured. The container is covered with transparent material, placed in a cool place, preferably on a windowsill. Rooting will occur in 6-8 weeks. Then the cuttings are planted in open ground and looked after until they adapt properly.
Root offspring
With the arrival of spring heat, when the top layer of the soil warms up in the garden, the most durable root layers with a length of 40 to 50 cm are selected, cut off from the mother plant. When cut, the offspring must have a cross section of at least 15 mm. The offspring is removed from the ground, shaken off and planted in a permanent place, growing to the required size.
Dividing the bush
This breeding method is perfect for breeding dwarf spindle trees, since their root system is deeply embedded in the soil. From year to year, the plant forms young root shoots suitable for reproduction.
You will need a sharp shovel to separate the bush. With its help, the root shoots with a small part of the main rhizome are carefully chopped off from all sides. The prepared cut is shaken off from the adhering earth, and the shoots are cut off by 2/3. After completing the manipulations, the cut is transferred to a new place, buried in the hole and watered. The euonymus calmly reacts to division, so new divisions take root very quickly.
Growing from seeds
During the summer, the plant needs watering and loosening. In the fall, they begin to collect the seed, which ripens in brightly colored bolls. Freshly harvested spindle tree seeds are sown in open ground in late autumn. Freshly harvested seeds show a high percentage of germination.
After removing the seed plants, the seeds are disinfected in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Sowing is organized in slightly moistened soil, the ridge is covered with mulch. Straw or dry foliage will do. Sowing activities are allowed in the spring, but the material must be stratified. At the time of stratification, the seeds are stored in the refrigerator on a shelf for six months, but before that they are soaked for two days in a glass of water.
Types and varieties of euonymus with photos and names
There is a huge variety of wild spindle tree species. Gardeners managed to adapt some of them to the format of cultural cultivation.Consider a description of the most popular plants among breeders.
Warty euonymus, or little-flowered euonymus (Euonymus verrucosa)
The distribution area of this perennial covers the mountainous regions of Southeast, Central and Southern Europe. Small numbers of landings can also be seen on the territory of Russia. Outwardly, the plant is a low shrub or tree. The maximum height of adult specimens is no more than 6 m. Vegetative parts have a rich emerald color. On the surface of the branches, you can see black growths, like warts. Simple leaves are painted in a pale green tone. Fruits appear in place of wilted light brown flowers. The seedlings are also brown, but have a crimson tint. Small seeds have good germination. In contrast to the typical green species, the small-flowered euonymus is eye-catching in autumn. Bright pink foliage dominates the deep green stems.
The shrub is characterized by slow growth, unpretentious care and can develop not only in the shade, but also on loose fertile soils under the sun. Today, warty euonymus is quite in demand in the gardening industry and is often used to decorate the local area.
European spindle tree (Euonymus europaea)
The described species lives high in the mountains and in the forest belt of Asia Minor and Europe. The culture is represented by an evergreen perennial. These can be trees no more than 6 m high or bushes with branched stems and lush foliage. On the stems of this year, cork growths are formed. The green hue is gradually replaced by black. The dense leaves are obovate or ovoid. Their size, as a rule, does not exceed 11 cm. The color of the foliage is dark green, but in late autumn the bushes become completely red. The main decoration is brightly variegated leaves. By the time of ripening, the fruits acquire a pinkish color. A handful of fragile seeds are hidden under the orange seedlings.
This interesting species deserves the attention of summer residents and grows successfully in urban environments. The advantages of the culture are high resistance to frost, the ability to accumulate a sufficient amount of moisture during a drought. In October, European spindle tree looks favorably against the background of faded neighboring bushes. With its help, you can decorate the voids on the site, cover up a nondescript fence, arrange a pond or diversify a flower bed. There are more than 20 decorative variations.
Winged Euonymus (Euonymus alatus)
In the natural area, single and group shrubs are widespread. This species grows in the forests of Japan, China, Korea, Russia and Europe. River valleys, cliffs, mountain river coasts, shady woodlands are the favorite places of the winged spindle tree. The plant has an overgrown crown and looks like a short tree. Grayish greyish stems bear dark green foliage, rhombic or obovate. The surface of the plates is glossy, shimmers in the sun. Small inflorescences of a greenish tint are collected in several pieces in bunches. The rich red boxes in which the seeds are stored, in a duet with greenish oval leaves, look great until the first autumn frosts. The species is resistant to frost, the root system does not even survive any shelter. Nevertheless, the plant does not tolerate the lack of moisture during the sweltering heat.
On the basis of winged euonymus, about 20 decorative forms have been bred, one of which is a shrub called Compactus. The height of its branches does not exceed two meters. With regular pruning, the crown has a domed shape. The flowers are small, devoid of decorative value.
Fortune's spindle tree (Euonymus fortunei)
In recent years, this species has gained wide popularity in modern garden culture. It originates from China. Suitable for cultivation in mid-latitude regions with cool climates.The cultivation technique for this perennial has its own characteristics. The thing is that Fortune's euonymus is a creeping shrub. In winter, the vegetative mass is protected by a thick snow cover. The glossy ellipsoidal foliage is leathery to the touch. In length it reaches only 4 cm. The edges are uneven, bent towards the top. There are a lot of representatives of this species. All of them differ in the color of their foliage. The plant is propagated only by vegetative methods.
The most famous varieties of Fortune euonymus:
- Emerald Gold Is a slow-growing shrub. Its height is no more than half a meter. Since the stems grow in breadth, the circumference of the bush reaches up to 1.5 m. Variegated leaf plates up to 5 cm long sit on them. Yellow spots and white streaks on the leaves are arranged in a chaotic manner. At the junction of the seasons, the foliage takes on a reddish tint. The plant is provided with timely watering, loosening of the area around the trunk circle. In order to preserve moisture, mulch is placed. The crown is regularly pruned, getting rid of affected and broken branches. They also remove green shoots that stand out too much from others.
- Gracilis - a ground cover, the stems of which are lengthened by 1.5 m. A variegated yellow outfit complements the small flowers and fruits. Over time, the ends of the leaves turn white, and the middle turns red.
- Vegetus - perennial with thick branches and wide foliage of a rounded shape. The walls of the lemon seed pods glisten in the sun.
Japanese euonymus (Euonymus japonica)
Japanese euonymus is suitable both for indoor cultivation in pots and for planting in the open field. There is a similarity of the species with Fortune's euonymus. The tree in its natural environment reaches a height of about 7 m. The branches are directed upwards, this characteristic should be taken into account when pruning.
Large leathery plates with pointed edges have a rich emerald color. A light border is visible along the perimeter of the leaf. If you have purchased seeds or seedlings of Japanese spindle tree, it is worthwhile to study the nuances of care and propagation of culture in advance. If in the spring you do not feed the bush in time and do not carry out formative pruning, after the phase of active growth, the plant falls into a stupor. The viability of the seedling will be threatened if the growth of branches in a year is less than 15 cm.Of all representatives of the species, the following varieties deserve special attention:
- Microfillus - dwarf species. In girth, the bush reaches no more than 15 cm. The upwardly directed leaf plates have a greenish-yellow color. The variety blooms with white inflorescences. In addition to the general specific rules, there are certain features for caring for this plant. It is first grown in a pot or box. The container should be roomy and deep so that the roots develop as expected. Before the onset of prolonged autumn cold weather, the flower pot is brought into the house and stored on the veranda or summer kitchen. It is important that the air temperature in the room does not drop below 5 degrees, otherwise the bush runs the risk of freezing.
- Mediopictus - is distinguished by spectacular golden foliage, the edges of which are framed in a green tone.
- Latifolius Albomarginatus - contains greenish leaf plates with a wide snow-white edging.
- Macrophylla - a dwarf variety of euonymus with long leaves, used in landscape design.
- Aureo-marginata - another variegated form growing in partial shade, the leaves are highlighted with a yellow border.
- Pyramid - the name is easily explained by the pyramidal shape of the bush, the leaves are wide glossy.
Euonymus properties
Stems, leaves and roots of euonymus contain a poisonous toxin. However, this does not prevent the plant from being used in traditional medicine. Leaves and fruits demonstrate healing properties. The bark of adult specimens is also considered beneficial. It contains organic and fatty acids, tannins and pectin substances, carbohydrates, steroids, vitamin C, alkaloids, flavonoids.Healing decoctions from euonymus have a laxative, antiparasitic, antiemetic, antispasmodic and choleretic effect.
However, if you delay the course of treatment, you can provoke intestinal problems, cause vomiting and nausea. In case of poisoning, the patient's pulse slows down. Such funds are dangerous to take during pregnancy, lactation. It is better to refuse infusions to persons who have been diagnosed with heart failure. To avoid an adverse reaction of the body to the plant components of euonymus, you should first visit a doctor. He will prescribe the required dosage and prescribe treatment.
