Euonymus fortunei
| Euonymus fortunei | |
| Light: |    |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 5 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Evergreen | |
| Height: | 15' |
| Width: | 33' |
| Speed: | Moderate |
| Blooms: | Mid Summer |
| Open Woods Forest | |
| Native to: | |
| Medicinal Rating: | |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Euonymus fortunei (common name: winter creeper)
Propagation: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. Stored seed requires 8 - 12 weeks warm followed by 8 - 16 weeks cold stratification and can then be sown in a cold frame[1][2]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 8cm long taken at a node or with a heel, July/August in a frame. Very easy[3].
Cultivation: Thrives in almost any soil, including chalk, and is particularly suited to dry shaded areas[3]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Prefers a well-drained loamy soil. Thrives in sunny positions and in deep shade[4][5], though it does not fruit so well in the shade.
Plants are hardy to about -18°c[6].
A shrubby somewhat creeping plant that can also climb by means of aerial roots[7], if placed by a support, a wall, tree or fence, the plant will start to climb it and will be self-attaching to a large degree[5][8]. Plants do not normally require pruning[8].
Plants have two forms of growth, a juvenile form and a mature form when the plants come into flower[8]. Plants in Britain often retain the juvenile form and never flower[8].
A polymorphic species[9], there are a number of named varieties selected for their ornamental value[5][6].
Range: E. Asia - China, Japan, Korea.
Habitat: Woods and thickets in low mountains all over Japan[9].
Medicinal: Plants contain the anticancer compound dulcitol[10].
The plant is used in gynaecological applications[10].
Usage: A good evergreen ground cover plant[7][3]. The sub species E. fortunei radicans and E. fortunei carrieri are particularly useful, other forms to use include 'Emerald and Gold', 'Emerald Gaiety', 'Coloratus', 'Dart's Carpet' and 'Kewensis[5][11][12].
Plants can be grown as a low hedge[13], the varieties 'Emerald and Gold' and 'Variegatus' are normally used. They are very tolerant of clipping[3].
Pollinators: Insects
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
In Leaf: Evergreen
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Heavy Clay: Grows in heavy-clay soils.
Known Hazards: Although no records of toxicity have been seen for this species, a number of plants in this genus are suspected of being poisonous and so some caution is advised.
Also Known As: E. radicans.
Links
References
- ↑ Sheat, Wilfrid. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. St Martin, 1948.
- ↑ Gordon, A and D Rowe. Seed Manual for Ornamental Trees and Shrubs. 1982.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Thomas, Graham. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray, 1992.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Davis, Brian. Climbers and Wall Shrubs. Viking, 1990.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Phillips, Roger and Martyn Rix. Shrubs. Pan Books, 1989.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Grey-Wilson, Christopher and Victoria Matthews. Gardening on Walls. Collins, 1983.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Ohwi, Jisaburo. Flora of Japan. Smithsonian Institution, 1965.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Duke, James and Edward Ayensu. Medicinal Plants of China. Reference Publications, 1985.
- ↑ Brickell, Christopher. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers. Dorling Kindersley Publishers, 1990.
- ↑ Napier, Elspeth. Ground Cover Plants. Cassells, 1989.
- ↑ Shepherd, F. W.. Hedges and Screens. Royal Horticultural Society, 1974.