Euonymus fortunei 'Emerald Gaiety'
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- yoo-ON-ih-mus for-TOO-nee-eye
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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This is one of the smaller evergreen shrubs in the Euonymus genus (a group of plants with similar characteristics). It is bushy and slowly grows to about 5 feet tall unless it is supported by a support wall or trellis, which will cause it to climb. It has small leaves and non-showy flowers. It has red colored berries and may have good fall color.
The 'Emerald Gaiety', like other shrubs in this genus, has a tendency to spread unless tended. Even with removal of sprouts, birds spread the seeds widely into the woodlands which spreads the shrub further where it can overgrow native plants. Birds like the seeds and deer like the plant. If used, spread can be reduced by planting it in shadier areas which slows or reduces the number of flowers and resulting seeds, thus reducing spread by birds. The foliage is the main attraction to the shrub.
This shrub can be toxic if large amounts of any part of it are eaten.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Euonymus
- Species:
- fortunei
- Family:
- Celastraceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Stem Cutting
- Dimensions:
- Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 5 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Poisonous
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Rounded
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 3 feet-6 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5b, 5a, 6b, 6a, 7b, 7a, 8b, 8a
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Orange
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Type:
- Berry
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
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Flowers:
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Insignificant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Blue
- Green
- Pink
- White
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Pink
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Crenate
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- The leaves are ovate (longish oval) with serrated, tooth-like margins; blue-green leaves with white margins and a pink tinge in fall and winter. The leaf is called variegated due to its coloring variations.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Slope/Bank
- Landscape Theme:
- Shade Garden
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Hedge
- Specimen
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Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- Low
- Poison Symptoms:
- Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, chills, coma, and convulsions IF EATEN IN LARGE QUANTITIES
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- Unidentified, possibly a glycoside
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- No
- Poison Part:
- Bark
- Flowers
- Fruits
- Leaves
- Sap/Juice
- Stems
