Indoor euonymus: planting and caring for a plant with a masculine character. Indoor spindle tree: planting and care photo Euonymus care and cultivation

Sometimes our attention is attracted by a shrub with dark green jagged shiny leaves and bright fruits. They look so attractive that I want to try them. This is a euonymus. Are the fruits of the spindle tree edible and where should it be classified as a poisonous or medicinal plant? There are more than 200 species of euonymus and are widely used in garden design. Some species of this plant have yellow, cream, red leaves or silver-white spots in the center or along the edges of the leaf, so they are widely used to form hedges.

Proper planting of euonymus seedlings

Before planting euonymus seedlings, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with the features of the species of interest. The most common varieties of euonymus include:

• warty euonymus is a shrub up to 2 meters or a tree up to 6 meters in height with bright green foliage strewn with black warts. The plant has flowers of a brownish tint, pink fruits with red-brown seedlings.
• Euonymus european- a small tree, most often growing bushy. The dark green color of the foliage turns red in autumn. The fruits are pink with an orange seed. There are more than 20 decorative forms of this species.
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  Euonymus winged is a strongly branched shrub or tree with tetrahedral branches, greenish flowers collected in an inflorescence. The fruits are bright red. The species has over 20 varieties.

• Fortune's Euonymus- creeping shrub refers to evergreens. Numerous forms of this species differ in leaf color.
• Japanese euonymus- refers to both indoor and garden plants. The leaves are large, dense, dark green with a light rim. The plant is not able to tolerate temperatures below 5 degrees, so in winter it must be kept in a cool room.
Planting a euonymus requires choosing a place in the garden. It should be spacious, as the plant can grow significantly. It is necessary to plant the euonymus in early spring or autumn. To do this, you need to dig a hole, which in volume should be twice the size of the roots of the plant. We cover the bottom with drainage. For this purpose, we use sand, expanded clay, broken bricks. On top of the drainage we place a layer of humus. We put a seedling, straighten the root system and sprinkle with moistened soil. From above we carry out sealing and watering the plant.

Important! To retain moisture in the soil, the surface of the earth is mulched with peat or tree bark. This will prevent the formation of a crust on the surface and the germination of weeds.

Conditions for growing euonymus in the garden


Euonymus feels better in diffused light. In the sun, green leaves turn yellow, and brown spots form on multi-colored ones. In the shade, the plant grows very slowly, and the decorative leaves lose their brightness. The optimum temperature for euonymus growth is 18-22 degrees. The plant does not like stagnant water and acidic soil.

Important! Euonymus does not like clay soil.

Many do not even think before planting a spindle tree whether it is poisonous or not. This must be taken into account when planning flower beds near playgrounds, since the euonymus refers to poisonous plants. The lethal dose for an adult is 35 fruits. Since the fruits are very attractive, they can arouse interest in children. This is dangerous!

Pruning the crown of the euonymus


Euonymus refers to shrubs, therefore, requires regular pruning. It is necessary to cut the plant in spring and summer. In the spring, a sanitary haircut is carried out: dry and damaged branches are cut off and the crown of the plant is formed. Summer haircut is decorative. It gives the shrub the correct geometric shape. The shrub easily tolerates dry weather, so it does not require frequent watering.

Important! The sap of the plant is also poisonous. Therefore, when pruning, protect your hands with gloves.

Euonymus Plant Transplant

Transplantation of young plants is carried out from the beginning of February. Plant transplantation should not be combined with anti-aging pruning. Adult bushes older than 7 years, it is better not to transplant. If it becomes necessary to transplant a bush to a new place, then in the spring it is carefully dug up and transferred with an earthen clod to a new place. Watering the plant should be regular until the foliage dissolves.


Winter hardiness of adult plants of spindle tree is high. Young plants up to three years old can be covered with dry foliage for the winter, and adults are not afraid of low temperatures, so they do not need shelter. To prevent freezing of the roots in a snowless winter, the near-stem circle of the plant is covered with sawdust or fallen leaves.

Reproduction of euonymus at home

Consider the methods of reproduction, cultivation and care of euonymus.

seeds


If you are going to propagate the euonymus using seeds, then you should know that you need to collect them after opening the boxes. Seeds should be planted immediately after harvest. If you delay this process until spring, then it will be more difficult to do this, since they need to be soaked for three days and artificially create the conditions for germination that exist in nature in autumn and winter. This process is called stratification. For professionals, this is not difficult, but for amateurs it is not as difficult as troublesome.

Did you know? The orange substance of the euonymus seed is used by Indian women to paint a spot on the forehead.

In nature, the euonymus reproduces by seeds with the help of birds. They eat the fruits of the plant, and hard seeds are not digested and fall into the ground with droppings and germinate.

By dividing the bush

This breeding method is most often used for dwarf varieties of euonymus. This is not difficult to do, since the root system of the plant is shallow. It is necessary to carefully separate the part of the plant with young shoots and rhizome. Before planting, the shoots are cut off, leaving 1/3 of the part.

cuttings


This method is used in June - July. For this, a plant no younger than five years of age may be suitable. It is necessary to cut cuttings with a length of at least 7 cm with one internode from the shoots of the mother plant. To stimulate root formation, the cut of the cutting is treated with root. The cuttings are placed in a mini-greenhouse or under a film, the earth in which is well fertilized. 3-4 cm of sand are poured over the ground, it will retain moisture well. The result is obtained in a month and a half.

Root offspring

Reproduction by root offspring is carried out in early spring. To do this, part of the roots with an earthen clod is separated, and the height of the shoots should not exceed 50 cm. The thickness of the roots of the offspring should be about one and a half centimeters, and the length should be 30 cm. It is planted in a permanent place.

Possible diseases and pests of euonymus, ways to deal with them

Euonymus is very fond of pests. It is exposed to apple moth, hawthorn, aphids, spider mites and scale insects. Often this ability is used as a bait for pests in apple orchards. All pests gather on the euonymus, and they are destroyed chemicals, but fruit trees remain without chemical treatment. Consider how to recognize diseases of shrubs and what means to deal with each pest.




Application and useful properties of euonymus

Euonymus is medicinal plant. FROM therapeutic purpose use the bark and twigs of the plant. It contains organic and fatty acids, alkaloids, carbohydrates, flavonoids, which are involved in metabolism.

Autumn is a short but bright time when garden trees and shrubs change into bright outfits.

In a matter of days, green leaves acquire rich red or purple hues.

Euonymus with its variety of shapes and varieties fits into any composition. It has a beautiful crown and ornamental foliage.

piquancy autumn garden will give the ripe fruits of the euonymus, painted in red, pink, yellow or purple.

The picturesque plant belongs to the Bereskletov family. The Latin name Euonymus translates as a plant with a good name.

Around the world, there are 220 species of deciduous and evergreen low trees, as well as shrubs. Their habitat is the undergrowth of the temperate and subtropical zones.

Variety of euonymus Maksimovich

On the territory of Russia, the plant spread from east to west.

A well-known representative of the family, originally from China and the Primorsky Territory, is Maksimovich's spindle tree.

This species is particularly unpretentious, because in nature it grows mainly in coniferous forests.

In autumn, its foliage turns pale pink, and the fruits stay on the branches for a long time.

Euonymus variety Sakhalin

On the edges and rocky slopes of the forests of Sakhalin and Far East growing euonymus Sakhalin.

Thanks to its lush foliage and orange fruits, it is often used as a hedge.

The deciduous shrub is particularly winter hardy. Another representative of the flora of Sakhalin is the flat-petiolate euonymus.

Its habitat is birch forests, mixed forests and river valleys.

Euonymus planipes has a spreading crown and dark green foliage that turns orange in autumn.

Variety of euonymus Semenov

From Central Asia Semenov's euonymus was introduced, which is distinguished by narrow leaves and pinkish fruits.

It is quite unpretentious and suitable for growing in the central part of Russia, including the Moscow region.

The shrub has adapted to the climate and short daylight hours. middle lane Russia.

The number of species introduced into culture is constantly increasing. On the basis of unpretentious Asian plants, breeders create unique varieties.

Euonymus warty or few-flowered (Euonymus Verrucosa)

The natural habitat of the plant is a vast part of Europe and Asia. The shrub reaches three meters in height.

Under favorable conditions, it becomes a small tree, whose height is 6 m.

The bark is black, densely covered with warts. The green foliage is oval in shape.

The warty euonymus has bisexual flowers, so it is suitable for single plantings. Fruiting occurs in August-September.

There are 7 seeds in a pink box. The shrub tolerates drought well.

The annual growth of shoots is 10 cm, the plant keeps its shape for a long time after pruning. On the site, euonymus verrucosa is used in single plantings or automnalia, gardens of autumn flowers.

Euonymus Europaea (Euonymus Europaea)

The growth area extends from Northern Europe to Asia Minor, including the European part of Russia.

The plant can be found on the edge of the forest, in wetlands, in ravines, along river banks. In its natural habitat, the height of euonymus europaea is 8 m.

Shrub shoots are covered with cork growths. Leathery leaves have a dark green color, which changes to red with the onset of autumn.

Euonymus European blooms in June, and the red fruit boxes ripen in early September.

Best of all, the shrub develops in illuminated areas; shading is poorly tolerated.

It is used in compositions with conifers and other types of bushes that do not change the color of foliage throughout the season.

Hamilton's euonymus has a similar species description. It is valued for its drought tolerance and winter hardiness.

Winged Euonymus (Euonymus Alata)

Deciduous shrub reaches four meters in height in a garden. The bush grows slowly.

It got its name due to the longitudinal cork growths along the trunk, resembling wings.

Diamond-shaped green leaves turn bright red by autumn. A variety of winged euonymus "Chicago Fire" has a special decorative effect.

Thanks to the rounded crown and shoots growing horizontally, it looks great in single plantings.

All varieties grow well and overwinter in a temperate climate zone. similar morphological features has a bunge euonymus.

It is a spherical shrub with hanging branches. Foliage turns red in autumn. Pink fruits do not fall until frost.

Euonymus Fortunei (Euonymus Fortunei)

Of particular decorative value is a creeping shrub originally from China. There are more than ten variegated varieties.

The plant is a ground cover, shoots that come into contact with the ground immediately begin to take root.

Fortune euonymus survives only in warm regions of Russia.

Japanese spindle tree or pseudolaurel (Euonymus Japonica)

The plant is native to Japan, Korea and China. Some varieties have been created for indoor breeding.

From it are grown beautiful trees in bonsai technique. Max Height bush is 150 cm.

The Japanese euonymus is prized for its variegated foliage. It rarely blooms, practically without forming fruits. To horticulture only three varieties have been adapted.

The creeping shrub winters in the south of Russia; in the Moscow region, the Japanese euonymus will need good shelter.

Large-winged Euonymus (Euonymus Macropterus)

A small tree grows in the Khabarovsk Territory, on Sakhalin, the Kuriles. It can be found in coniferous and deciduous forests.

The height of the plant can reach ten meters.

garden views valued for the fruits, which turn dark crimson in autumn. The large-winged euonymus is resistant to disease, frost and drought.

Euonymus dwarf (Euonymus nanus)

The ground cover bush is common in the Caucasus, in Asia Minor. The height of the plant does not exceed thirty centimeters. Mature shoots are covered with warts.

Narrow leaves are dark green. A similar description has Koopman's euonymus. Its stems are covered with narrow evergreen leaves.

With the help of these species on the site, you can create a thick green carpet. Plants are not afraid of shady places.

Euonymus Maackii (Euonymus Maackii)

The homeland of the shrub is Eastern Siberia and the Far East. Here it grows near rivers, lakes and meadows.

Cultivated species reach three meters in height.

They are grown for the fruit-boxes, painted in purple hue, and orange seedlings. Maak's euonymus is demanding on lighting.

American Euonymus (Euonymus Americanus)

The shrub grows in the eastern United States. The height of the plant is 1.5 m, the leaves are green, narrow.

In autumn they turn purple. Numerous shoots are covered with warts. The succulent is painted in Orange color.

Wilson's Euonymus (Euonymus Myrianthus)

A rare species grows in western China. The plant is distinguished by the color of the box and seeds. During the ripening period, the fruits are painted in a bright yellow color.

Red seedlings contrast with them. Another species that is valued for its fruits is cork euonymus.

In September, pink fruits with raspberry seeds are formed on the bushes.

Sacred Euonymus (Euonymus Sacrosancta)

Another Far Eastern species is famous for its pterygoid outgrowths. In September, the foliage darkens, and the fruits become a rich purple color.

The sacred euonymus is undemanding to climatic and soil conditions.

Landing in the ground

Shrubs are quite unpretentious, so planting and care in the open field will not deliver special trouble.

Most varieties are undemanding to soil quality and lighting. It is only desirable to add sand to the ground so that it is loose and breathable.

Where and when to plant

When choosing a place, it is necessary to take into account the dimensions of the bush. For small gardens, undersized species are suitable.

Large individuals tolerate pruning for the purpose of formation well.

However, they need space. Creeping species of euonymus are appropriate in any landscape design.

A newly purchased seedling with a closed root system can be planted throughout the season, excluding the hot months of summer.

Autumn planting is carried out before the start of frost. The young plant is mulched, and with the onset of cold weather they cover it.

Early spring is considered the best time for planting seedlings. They will have time to take root and sprout in the same summer.

Distance between bushes

Tall species are planted at a distance of one and a half meters from each other.

There should be 60 cm of space between small bushes.

An impenetrable euonymus hedge requires a two-row staggered planting.

The distance between rows is 60 cm, and between the bushes - 40 cm.

How to plant

The depth of the landing pit should be two shovel bayonets. A drainage layer is poured on its bottom.

Compost mixed with garden soil is then poured out. The seedling is immersed in a hole and the root system is carefully straightened.

The earth is rammed from above. The trunk circle is mulched with straw.

Growing euonymus from seeds

Shrub seeds cannot boast of high germination: only 25% of the material germinates.

A young plant will take shape only after five years. This method is suitable for rare species. Breeding hybrids are not propagated by seeds.

Sowing in the ground

Seeds are harvested in late autumn. First, they are soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate, and then stratified in the refrigerator.

To do this, the material is wrapped in a damp cloth and sent to the vegetable department. Prepared seeds are sown in the ground at the end of February.

The box with crops is covered with glass and placed on a lighted windowsill. Periodically, the earth is shed, drying should not be allowed.

Growing seedlings

Sprouts appear in a month. Plants need light and warmth to grow. With the appearance of two true leaves, the seedlings are seated in separate pots.

The first two years, the bushes are grown as houseplants. They are systematically watered, complex fertilizers are applied in the summer.

In the third year of life, the plant is ready for transplanting to the garden plot.

Reproduction by cuttings

The genus euonymus reproduces well with young shoots. They are cut in June-July and divided into cuttings. Each is 10 cm long.

For better rooting, future seedlings are immersed in a growth stimulator for 12 hours. Cultivation is carried out in a film greenhouse. The root system is already growing by autumn.

By dividing the bush

Only dwarf varieties are suitable for this method, their root system is located close to the surface.

Bushes are divided in the spring, as soon as the soil warms up. The euonymus is dug up and divided into parts.

Each division must have a part of the root and at least four shoots. A young plant is transplanted to a new place with a clod of earth. It is necessary to cut the branches by a third.

Layers and root suckers

With the onset of warm days, a shallow hole is dug near the bush and a young shoot is immersed in it. It is fixed with an iron bracket and the hole is sprinkled with earth.

The crown of the plant should remain above the surface. For some time, the rooting euonymus is left alone. In early September, the young plant is dug up and sent for growing.

The height of the root offspring should be 50 cm, and the root thickness should be at least a centimeter.

It is separated from an adult bush in the spring, as soon as the soil warms up. The shoot is immediately transplanted to a permanent place or sent for growing.

Euonymus care in the garden

In the first years after planting, the plant is periodically watered and fertilized twice during the summer.

The young individual will quickly grow and begin to bear fruit in a few years.

An adult plant requires water only during a drought period. It is brought under the bush, avoiding falling on the foliage. The consumption rate is one bucket per bush.

In a young shrub, a crown is formed with the help of pruning. Adults require periodic sanitary pruning.

Shoots after the procedure begin to branch actively.

Important! The euonymus is poisonous, after work it is necessary to wash your hands thoroughly.

Tall shrubs form in early spring or late autumn.

Strengthened seedlings of tall varieties are sent to a permanent place in the second or third year of life. Creeping species can be immediately planted in the place allotted for them.

Young plants, regardless of their variety, require shelter during the first three years of life.

Evergreen species require special attention.

They can freeze even with shelter.

Bushes are mulched, covered with lutrasil or spunbond.

If necessary, use an air dry shelter.

Adult plants native to the Far East are not afraid of frost. However, abnormally low temperatures can cause a mutation that will stop the foliage from changing color.

Diseases and pests

The euonymus shrub is quite hardy. There are situations when already adult plants are exposed to ailments.

An epidemic can destroy plantings, so it is important to pay attention to regular inspection and preventive spraying of the garden.

The viral mosaic is characterized by yellow spots on the leaves, a little later the green mass is deformed.

The infection slows down the growth of shrubs, in severe cases they may die.

The fight against the disease consists in the destruction of insect vectors. At the initial stage, the bushes can be sprayed with a solution of Karbofos. Dying plants will have to be disposed of.

From white spotting, rounded spots with a brown rim form on the leaves. Over time, they merge with each other, and the leaf prematurely twists and falls off.

Wet weather and thickening of the bushes contribute to the disease. Spotting destroys "Horus", "Falcon", "Ridomil".

The most dangerous pest is the ermine moth. The caterpillars gnaw through the leaves, leaving only the veins.

Then they make web nests in which they pupate. In spring, shrubs are sprayed with Inta-Vir, Iskra, Fitoverm preparations. Nests are cut and burned immediately.

Aphids can cause great damage. The tiny insect feeds on the sap of the plant. Damaged leaves dry out and fall off prematurely.

Aphid carriers are garden ants. It is with them that you need to fight in the first place. The infected euonymus is sprayed with Fufanon, Kinmiks and Fitoverm insecticides.

We recommend to know:

Euonymus (Euónymus) is a plant belonging to the Euonymous family (Celastraceae). In recent years, culture has been widely used in landscape design, both in our country and abroad.

Biological description of the plant

The genus Euonymus combines not only deciduous, but also evergreen plants of medium height, which can be represented by low trees and undersized, ground cover shrubs. The aerial part is characterized by the formation of tetrahedral or rounded branches. Quite often there are cork growths.

foliage with smooth surface, located opposite. Flowering is relatively abundant. The flowers are unattractive, small in size, pale green or brownish in color, collected in corymbose or racemose inflorescences.

The fruits are represented by a leathery and dry, winged or spiny box. Seeds may be white, reddish or brownish-black. Depending on the species characteristics, the seed box has a yellow, pinkish, reddish-scarlet, raspberry-burgundy or dark purple color.

How to grow euonymus (video)

The best types of euonymus

The flora of Russia has about twenty species, but only a few of them have received the greatest distribution in the conditions of backyard floriculture.

Fortune's Euonymus

A low growing evergreen shrub. The groundcover is perfect for outdoor cultivation. In the garden, Fortune's species can be represented by the following varieties:

• Vegetus
• "Baby" or "Minimus"
• "Emerald Gold" or "Emerald gold"
• Emerald Gaiety or "Emerald gaiety"
• "Silver Queen" or "SilverQueen"
• "Sunspot" or "SunSpot"
• Sheridangold

A characteristic species feature is nondescript flowering and very highly decorative foliage. The creeping trunk is well leafy with bright, spotty, bordered leaves.

Japanese euonymus

Japanese look Euonymus is very popular in the Moscow region. The advantage is the possibility of growing, both in conditions indoor floriculture, and under open sky. In our country, the culture is represented by the following popular varieties:

• "Pseudo-Laurus"
• "Microphyllus"
• "Dwarf"

Other types

Although some varieties can reach a height of ten meters, including such species as large-winged, Maak and Maksimovicha, a significant part of the euonymus is medium in size and perfect for cultivation at home or in the backyard:

• warty, or few-flowered - a winter-hardy shrub plant no more than two meters high;
• Bunge is a perennial with a dense crown with light green, light yellow or scarlet foliage;
• Hamilton - narrow-leaved species, characterized by decorative light yellow foliage in autumn;
• European - with attractive, color-changing foliage, and carmine-pink fruits;
• Siebold - forming a low and fairly wide perennial bush with decorative pink fruits.

In addition to the species listed above, of interest to amateur flower growers are Koopman's euonymus and Winged euonymus, as well as Cork, Sakhalin, Sacred and Broadleaf species.

Planting and care in the open field

Growing a perennial outdoor is quite simple, so the plant is well suited for cultivation by beginners and inexperienced growers. Landing is most often carried out in the spring. The green-leaved perennial should be placed in light partial shade, and the variegated forms prefer fairly bright sunlight. The soil on the site for planting should be fairly light and fertile, with good water permeability. The best option is to place on slightly alkaline or neutral soils, without too high occurrence ground water and high humidity earth.

How to plant an euonymus (video)

Care for a plant grown in open ground consists in the following activities:

• watering should be done as the soil dries out, and the best result is obtained by high-quality soil mulching in tree trunks;
• it is mandatory to carry out a two-time feeding of the plant in the spring-summer season with the help of mineral fertilizers;
• regular pruning has a positive effect on the branching of the aerial part and improves the decorative effect of the culture;
• the forming haircut of the euonymus should be carried out in the early spring or immediately after fruiting;
• at the stage of active vegetation, garden and indoor perennials need to be provided with partial sanitary thinning;
• it is necessary to replant indoor culture, which is used in the summer to decorate garden design, annually.

About the poisonousness of the plant

All types of euonymus are classified as poisonous perennials. The poisonous perennial has an alkaloid evolin in its shoots. The foliage is characterized by the content of cyclitols, triterpenoids, steroids, alkaloids and flavonoids. The fruits contain glucose, cyclitols and carotenoids. The seed material is distinguished by a sufficient content of carbohydrates, sesquiterpenoids, carotenoids, alkaloids, flavonoids, as well as higher fatty acids and their glycerides. Thanks to his chemical composition The plant has the following characteristics:

For the preparation of medicinal products, leaves and fruits are used, which are the basis of decoctions and tinctures.

Features of propagation by cuttings

A significant proportion of euonymus is very well and easily propagated by basic vegetative methods, including the use of root offspring, dividing the bush and rooting green cuttings. For propagation of garden and indoor perennials, cuttings are most often used. Proper and timely propagation by cuttings allows maximum short time get a well-developed ornamental plant:

• it is necessary to cut the plant in the period from June to July;
• for this purpose, you need to choose young, but with sufficient elasticity shoots;
• cut cuttings should be six centimeters long with one internode.

Prepared cuttings are planted in greenhouses under a film shelter. The soil substrate should be represented by fertile soil, on top of which clean medium-grained sand should be poured with a layer of five centimeters. It will take about a month and a half to develop a full-fledged root system.

Autumn care and wintering

In order for the wintering of the ornamental culture to go well, the plant must be prepared correctly and in a timely manner. If adult plants in most regions of our country are able to winter without shelter, then young bushes of varietal euonymus in the first couple of years after planting in open ground must be provided quality protection. For shelter, dry foliage is most often used.

It is during the autumn period that the collection of seed material is carried out. Fully ripe fruit-boxes acquire a color characteristic of the species and crack. If the autumn seed propagation method is used, then the crops must be covered before the onset of a stable cold snap with a layer of dry straw or fallen leaves. A prerequisite for successful overwintering of both adult and young perennials in open ground conditions is the mulching of tree trunks with organic matter and spruce branches.

Use cases in landscape design

Almost all types and varieties of euonymus have the ability to grow well and fairly quickly. Most are ground cover highly ornamental shrubs that look great in dense groups or in a band planting. The plant looks very impressive in large arrays. In recent years, culture has found a very wide application in the conditions of urban and park gardening, which is due to a combination of high decorativeness and unpretentiousness.

Optimal is the addition of euonymus thujas, spruces and junipers. mixed decorative composition can be represented by perennial shrubs and conifers, including mock orange, various varieties of lilac and barberry. Almost all green-leaved varieties are used in the landscape as a background for creating flower arrangements or flowering plants. Low and dwarf varieties are ideal for decorating small and dense curtains, rocky gardens, flat rockeries and alpine slides. Seedlings can be planted on other areas not suitable for growing. ornamental crops plots.

How to trim the euonymus (video)

Beautiful shrub plants, which include euonymus, are quite actively used in ornamental gardening. Cute trees and bushes have a very attractive, fluffy or openwork crown, and are also characterized by unpretentiousness and undemanding care, so they are almost ideal for cultivation by beginners or gardeners with limited time.

Bush euonymus (lat. Euonymus) represents a genus of low evergreen and deciduous woody plants family Bereskletovye, which includes more than two hundred species. In nature, the euonymus is distributed in Europe, Asia, Australia and America - throughout the Northern Hemisphere, preferring valleys, floodplains and mixed forest undergrowth. The Latin name of the euonymus is translated approximately as "a tree with a good name" or "a glorious tree". Among the Slavs, the euonymus has many names: night blindness, God's eyes, bruslina, burusklen, meresklet, sour, dereskled, lingonberry, heather, privet, wolf's bast, wolf earrings, saklak and blinder. Many types of euonymus are cultivated as ornamental plants, in particular, euonymus in landscape design is used to decorate outbuildings or fences. The euonymus hedge looks picturesque in the garden, and it attracts the eye both in summer and in autumn. Practical value have species of euonymus warty and euonymus euonymus, since it was in their bark and stems that gutta-percha was found.

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Planting and caring for euonymus (in short)

• Landing: in early spring or at the time of leaf fall.
• Lighting: variegated species need bright light, and plants with plain leaves prefer partial shade.
• The soil: light, drained, fertile, neutral or slightly alkaline.
• Watering: as needed: in a season with normal rainfall, the plant is not watered at all.
• Top dressing: complex mineral fertilizer in early spring and autumn.
• Pruning: in early spring or after fruiting, for sanitary purposes, as well as to give the crown an ellipsoid or conical shape.
• Reproduction: seeds and vegetatively: dividing the bush, cuttings and layering.
• Pests: caterpillars, spider mites, aphids and mealybugs.
• Diseases: stem rot and powdery mildew.

Read more about growing euonymus below.

Euonymus plant - description

The euonymus flower has shoots of a tetrahedral or round section, on which cork outgrowths sometimes form. In nature, some species of euonymus reach a height of 4 meters. Euonymus leaves are simple, opposite, shiny, serrated, dark green in color, but some varieties are distinguished by cream, white or silver spots in the center or near the edges of the leaf plate. Euonymus blooms with inconspicuous yellow-greenish, cream or burgundy flowers that emit an unpleasant odor and are collected 4-5 pieces in brushes or shields. The fruit of the euonymus is a dry leathery four-five-celled box with seeds, prickly or winged, depending on the species, when ripe, it acquires a pink, scarlet, raspberry, burgundy, yellow or dark purple color. Euonymus seeds 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 to plant a spindle tree is the beginning of spring, although autumn planting euonymus. It is good if the area for the spindle tree is in light partial shade, although the variegated spindle tree 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, the euonymus does not like the high occurrence of groundwater. When choosing a site for the euonymus, keep in mind that it grows strongly in width, and in some species also in height, so do not plant the plant too close to the trees and keep a 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 to 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 a euonymus

A planting hole for the spindle tree, dug at least two weeks before planting, should be one and a half times larger in volume than the root system of the seedling. Upper layer mix the earth removed from the pit with compost. At the bottom of the pit, as a drainage, pour a layer of sand or broken bricks, then a little soil with compost, and if the soil in the area is acidic, then 200 g of slaked lime should be added to each planting pit, 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, tamping it as the space fills up so that air pockets do not form. The root neck of the seedling should be flush with the surface of the site. If you decide to plant euonymus seedlings for a hedge, then it is better to dig a trench for this. Water the euonymus immediately after planting and do this daily for a week.

Euonymus care

Watering the euonymus is carried out as needed. In order to make it easier for yourself to take care of the spindle tree in the garden, mulch the near-stem circle with dry earth immediately after watering. Subsequently, loosen the soil in the trunk circle a day or two after watering at least three times per 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. Euonymus care involves feeding the plant twice a day during the spring-summer season with mineral fertilizers: the first time in spring, the second time in autumn.

Euonymus pruning

Euonymus loves a haircut, it reacts to it with active branching, so there is no need to be afraid to cut the spindle tree. Due to the fact that most of the euonymus fruits are an ornament, the shaping haircut 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. With the help of pruning, the crown of the euonymus is formed - conical or ellipsoidal. Many people prefer to form a standard tree from the 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, as a result of which the leaves and young shoots are deformed. The fight against these pests is carried out with the help of a triple weekly treatment of the euonymus with Aktellik's solution at the rate of 1-2 ml of the drug per liter of water. Mealybugs, forming cotton-like deposits and honeydew on euonymus leaves, are destroyed by a two-stage treatment of the plant with Aktara, Confidor, Fitoverm with a break of a week or ten days.

As for the caterpillars, if you notice their nests on the euonymus, it is better to remove them manually. By the way, pay attention: if caterpillars were 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 crop.

Of the diseases, the 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 spend spring and autumn preventive treatment euonymus 1% Bordeaux mixture or drugs that replace it. Affected areas of the plant must be removed and burned, and if the damage is too strong, the entire plant will have to be burned. A fungal disease is also such a common disease as powdery mildew, and it is fought with fungicides Fundazol, Topaz, Skor or Previkur, and there should be 3-4 treatment sessions at weekly intervals.

Euonymus reproduction

How to propagate euonymus

Euonymus is propagated by seeds, layering, dividing the bush and cuttings. Varieties with variegated, red and yellow leaves reproduce exclusively vegetatively.

Reproduction of spindle tree by layering

In the spring, low-growing shoots of the mother plant are bent to the ground, placed in a groove previously made in the soil, fixed in it and sprinkled with soil, leaving only the top of the shoot on the surface. Such layers 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 at least 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 bright, cool place. After one and a half to two months, rooted cuttings are planted in open ground on a training bed and grown.

Reproduction of euonymus by root offspring

Strong root offspring 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 offspring should be at least one and a half centimeters, and the length is 25-30 cm. Without shaking the soil from the roots, the offspring is immediately transplanted to a permanent place or grown to the desired size.

Euonymus reproduction by dividing the bush

It is convenient to propagate dwarf varieties in this way, since their root system is shallow and annually produces fresh root shoots. Carefully cut off the root shoots from the mother plant with a shovel along with part of the rhizome, 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 harvested euonymus seeds in the fall immediately into the soil, then mulching 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 for a couple of days in water.

Euonymus in winter

Euonymus in autumn

We hope that planting and caring for the euonymus during the growing season did not seem tedious to you. Easy care of the plant and on the eve of the onset of winter. When the seed pods begin to crack, it's time to harvest the seeds. Euonymus seeds immediately after harvest are planted in moistened soil, having previously removed seedlings and treated the seed with a pink solution of potassium permanganate. Crops are covered for the winter with straw or dry fallen leaves.

Wintering euonymus

Young plants that are under three years old must be covered for the winter with spruce branches or dry foliage, otherwise they may die. Adult bushes hibernate without shelter, but in order to prevent the roots from freezing in a snowless winter, it would be wise to mulch the trunk circle with sawdust or leaves.

Types and varieties of euonymus

There are a lot of species of euonymus in nature, and there are many of them in culture. We offer you an acquaintance with the cultivated species of euonymus, as well as with their varieties. Let's start with those types that have already been mentioned in this article.

Warty euonymus, or few-flowered euonymus (Euonymus verrucosa)

distributed in nature in the European part of Russia, in the mountains of South, Southeast and Central Europe. It is a shrub up to two meters tall or a tree five to six meters tall 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 seedlings. In autumn, this species is especially attractive: leaves turn pink on bright green shoots. The warty euonymus grows slowly, it is shade-tolerant and unpretentious, often used in ornamental gardening.

European spindle tree (Euonymus europaea)

grows in Europe and Asia Minor on any soil in broad-leaved forests and high on the slopes. It is a small tree up to six meters tall, most often growing bushy. The young shoots of this species are green, sometimes with longitudinal cork growths, and the old branches are almost black. The ovoid or obovate leathery leaf of the European euonymus up to 11 cm long has a dark green color, and acquires a red tint in autumn. The fruits are pink or dark red when ripe, the seed is covered with an orange seed. This species is drought-resistant, winter-hardy, tolerates urban gas pollution well. The European euonymus in the garden stands out against the background of the usual yellow-gold coloring of other plants for autumn. More than 20 decorative forms of this species are known, which are less winter hardy: weeping, dwarf, aucubolic, 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 South Sakhalin. This is a strongly branched shrub up to 2.5 meters high or a tree up to 4 m tall with tetrahedral branches with light gray bark, shiny obovate or rhombic leathery leaves of dark green color and small greenish flowers, collected three 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, with a width and height not exceeding two meters, with a compact domed crown and inconspicuous flowers. The leaves are oval, light green, changing color to bright red in autumn, the fruits are red, the pericarp is orange. Winter-hardy, but sensitive to drought and overheating.

Fortune's euonymus (Euonymus fortunei)

naturally found 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 euonymus. The fact is that Fortune's euonymus is not upright, but a creeping shrub, which is one of the few evergreens that can grow in the middle lane: 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 eventually turn white at the edges, and turn red in the middle;
• Vegetus- a plant with thick shoots and large rounded 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, covered with random yellow spots and strokes along the edges, and turn red in autumn.

Caring for Fortune's euonymus, as well as 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 too green ones on it, those that differ from the shoots characteristic of this species and variety.

Japanese spindle tree (Euonymus japonica), or pseudolaurel

- the only species grown both as indoor and as garden plant. AT vivo Japanese euonymus, which is a close relative of Fortune's euonymus, grows to a height of up to seven meters. Its branches depart from the trunk at a slight angle, as if it were all striving upwards. 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 for growth, and if they are not created, then it, having started to grow in early spring, then simply freezes. If the conditions are suitable for the euonymus, then in a year it adds 15-20 cm of growth. 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;
• Pyramid- a bush of a pyramidal shape 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.

Japanese euonymus care is not much different from caring for indoor plants in winter and for gardening in spring and summer. This plant is just one of those that are best grown in large boxes or pots, and in winter bring it to a cool room in which the Japanese euonymus will wait for spring, because 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.

You have probably admired this pretty tree with a fluffy openwork crown more than once. Its graceful branches are strewn with bright multi-colored leaves and decorated with long earrings with fruit-boxes:

This amazing plant is called euonymus(Euonymus) and belongs to the family Bereskletovs. Recently, it has been undeservedly forgotten by gardeners. But in vain. Many of his decorative varieties frost-resistant, unpretentious and perfectly take root in the gardens of the south and central Russia.

Some types and features of euonymus

has more than 200 types, but only about 20 of them grow in our climate. Some are represented by deciduous trees and shrubs, others are evergreen. Almost all types of euonymus are poisonous, although they have medicinal properties.

Resistant to air pollution and grows well in shade and partial shade, although some species - for example, Maack's spindle- love open sunny places. Able to withstand short-term frosts down to -20°C. At the same time, the ends of the branches may freeze, and in the spring you will have to remove them. Which, however, does not harm the subsequent growth.

An incredibly popular variety, so named for the bright variegated leaves - emerald green with a golden border ( emerald translated from English means "emerald", and gold- "gold").

And this heat-loving handsome man, as the name implies, comes from Japan. He needs a temperature not lower than + 5 ° С, therefore, in our area, the Japanese euonymus winters exclusively in greenhouses and on window sills.

Reproduction and planting

Propagation of euonymus by seeds

Fruits for seed propagation must be collected at a certain period (when the box has already begun to crack) and planted immediately after collection, after removing the seeds. If you decide to plant in the spring, then the seeds will need soaking and stratification (4-6 months). Otherwise, they will germinate only in the second year.

In general, this troublesome business is to grow a tree from seeds. Therefore, let's better leave it - robins or warblers. The fruits serve as food for them, but hard seeds are not digested in bird stomachs. Therefore, later they still end up in the ground and sometimes sprout in the most unexpected places.

Let's consider better the options for planting and propagating by dividing the bush, green cuttings, root offspring and seedlings.

Euonymus reproduction by dividing the bush

By dividing the bush, dwarf varieties reproduce. Their root system is superficial and lies horizontally, giving new shoots every year. Your task is to carefully separate from mother bush young shoots with part of the rhizome. Then cut the shoots by 2/3 and plant the delenki in a pre-selected place in the garden. The division of the bush tolerates painlessly.

Euonymus cuttings

Euonymus is well propagated by cuttings. But keep in mind that the age of the mother tree or shrub must be at least 5 years old.

At the end of June-beginning of July, cut cuttings of 6-8 cm, so that each has one internode. Plant cuttings in a greenhouse in well-fertilized soil. After planting, cover the ground with 3-4 cm of sand. After a month and a half, the young growth will take root and will be ready for planting in open ground.

Reproduction of euonymus by root offspring

Separate root suckers from the mother plant at the very beginning of spring, after it has thawed. Try to keep a good clod of earth on the separated root, and the height of the growth does not exceed 40-50 cm (if higher, cut it off). The length of the root should be 20-30 cm, and the thickness should be at least 1.5 cm. Plant root offspring either immediately to a permanent place of residence, or to a picking bed, where they will grow to the size of a standard seedling.

Planting seedlings

Planting seedlings is no different from planting seedlings of other trees. Planted in the spring, and the ideal for him is this: sod land (3 parts) + leaf ground(1 part) + or (1 part) + sand (1 part).

Before planting seedlings, pour a drainage layer into each hole - expanded clay or pebbles, filling it by about 1/4. Then carefully place the seedling in the hole and fill the hole with earth, slightly tamping the soil with your hands.

Unpretentious, but prefers loose non-acidic. If you have heavy soils on your site, dilute them with expanded clay and sand by 1/5 of the total volume of land before planting. Position the holes according to the size of the mature plant. It is easiest to grow a beautiful spindle tree from a three-year-old seedling. It will not require shelter for the winter and will take root well at the landing site.

Euonymus care

Barrel circles must be loosened three times a season. Water it moderately - only on the driest days. In early spring remove dry and damaged branches, and form a crown in the fall. ( Work with gloves: the euonymus juice is poisonous!). Feed the plants twice a season: in spring and autumn.

As for industrial applications, its wood is used to make a wide variety of crafts, and before the widespread development of the chemical industry from European euonymus and warty received gutta-percha.

But we, of course, are more interested in application in ornamental gardening. Its tall species are great for urban landscaping. And from shrub forms luxurious hedges are obtained.

But especially loved landscape designers evergreen creeping species. They can be used both as ground covers and as vines, they do an excellent job with the design of rocky hills and garden borders.
. What species lives in your garden?