Japanese Euonymus Euonymus fortunei
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Japanese Euonymus:
- Phonetic Spelling
- yoo-ON-ih-mus for-TOO-nee-eye
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- This plant is an invasive species in North Carolina
- Description
-
This Euonymus shrub-vine, commonly called a Wintercreeper, is listed as invasive in NC and also in the southeast and northeast. Some cultivars (see list) may be a vine or even a small shrub. The vining cultivars are invasive as well as some shrubs. When used as ground cover for the showy leaves it tends to climb if given support. This plant is frequently damaged by deer and is salt tolerant.
Like all Euonymus plants, this one is poisonous if any parts are eaten in large quantities. The berries, or any plant parts, should not be eaten by humans. The berries are eaten by some birds which is how the plant is spread and often how it becomes more invasive.
The size is variable as it may grow quite tall and shrub or vine like, growing up a wall, tree, or trellis. As a groundcover, it can be kept to several inches tall, two to four feet as a small shrub, or around 15 feet as a standard vine on a trellis, or several times that if growing up a tree towards sunlight. This can also depend on which cultivar is planted.
The plant is semi-evergreen and does not display fall leaf color. The long lasting fall berries have orange aril (pulp), however. The berries emerge from a capsule that splits longwise.
It is easily transplanted from woody cuttings and tolerates a variety of soils other than wet ground. Adult plants have unremarkable small quarter inch flowers in the spring, usually greenish-white.
Quick ID Hints:
- Evergreen, opposite, crenate-serrate leaves
- Procumbent climbing groundcover or med-large shrub
- prominent axillary buds
Evergreen procumbent, climbing vine or ground cover, or shrub to 6.5'.
This species has two distinct morphologies: the juvenile form which is a procumbent, vine-like groundcover; and the adult form which is a shrub. Leaf types are highly variable. Variegated, colored and green cultivars are available, with non-green forms tendency to revert to green.
Tolerates full sun and heavy shade; pH adaptable; tolerant of most soils except wet conditions; transplants readily; pest problems.
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
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'Colorata'
- 'Kewensis'
- 'Longwood'
- 'Sunspot'
Compact shrub form with thick green leaves with pronounced yellow centers. Leaves are prone to sport and revert.
var. radicans
Ground cover/climber with coarsely serrate leaves which turn purple in autumn. 'Emerald Gaiety'
- 'Kewensis'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
-
'Colorata'
- 'Kewensis'
- 'Longwood'
- 'Sunspot'
Compact shrub form with thick green leaves with pronounced yellow centers. Leaves are prone to sport and revert.
var. radicans
Ground cover/climber with coarsely serrate leaves which turn purple in autumn. 'Emerald Gaiety'
- 'Kewensis'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Euonymus
- Species:
- fortunei
- Family:
- Celastraceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- China
- Play Value:
- Attractive Flowers
- Wildlife Food Source
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Salt
- Climbing Method:
- Twining
- Dimensions:
- Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 6 in.
- Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
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-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Ground Cover
- Poisonous
- Shrub
- Vine
- Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Climbing
- Mounding
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
-
-
Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- 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
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Very Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 3 feet-6 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- Usda Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
-
-
Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Orange
- Pink
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Berry
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- 0.3 in. orange fruit in fall. Dehiscent capsule, meaning that the capsule splits to reveal the berry. A dihiscent capsule, pinkish to reddish, splits to expose seeds with an orange aril.
-
-
Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Green
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Cyme
- Insignificant
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Dome
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Small, non-showy, greenish white flowers. The flower is about 1/4 inch with four petals which may be dome shaped or flat. Axillary cymes (adult form). Greenish-white, < 1/4".
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-
Leaves:
- Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- White
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Smooth
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Paired leaves with broad, shallow, or rounded teeth; dark green and silvery white vein either on edge or mid-leaf. Opposite, simple, ovate-elliptic, 1", crenate-serrate, thinly coriaceous.
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-
Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Form:
- Straight
-
-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Recreational Play Area
- Rock Wall
- Slope/Bank
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Children's Garden
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Hedge
- Mass Planting
- Attracts:
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Salt
- Problems:
- Invasive Species
- Poisonous to Humans
- Weedy
-
-
Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- Low
- Poison Symptoms:
- TOXIC ONLY IF LARGE QUANTITIES EATEN. Vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, chills, coma, and convulsions.
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- Unidentified, possibly a glycoside
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- No
- Poison Part:
- Bark
- Flowers
- Fruits
- Leaves
- Roots
- Sap/Juice
- Seeds
- Stems
- Euonymus fortunei is often confused with:
-
Lonicera japonica
-
Vinca major
-
Vinca minor
- Plants that fill a similar niche:
-
Ligustrum japonicum
-
Lonicera x heckrottii
-
Berberis julianae
- Euonymus fortunei has some other problems:
- 20. Wildlife
- White-Tailed Deer
