The buds are small, ovoid, up to 0.4 cm long. The leaves are dark green, membranous, leathery, glabrous, elliptical or oblong-obovate, sharp or obtuse at the ends, with a wedge-shaped base, finely serrated along the edge, up to 8 cm long, sessile on short petioles. On the underside the foliage is lighter and ciliated. In autumn the leaves turn bright red or burgundy red.
The flowers are five-petaled, greenish-white or greenish-purple, inconspicuous, reaching 1-1.2 cm in diameter, collected in simple semi-umbrella inflorescences located on drooping peduncles formed in the axils of the lower leaves of the shoots. The sacred euonymus blooms in May - June, for 10-12 days.
The fruits are spherical, 1-5-locular capsules, covered on the outside with awl-shaped outgrowths, and can be red or pink in color. The seeds are brown, ovoid, up to 0.4 cm long, covered with bright orange or bright red arils. The fruits ripen in September – October.
Like other species of the genus, the sacred euonymus is especially decorative in the second half of summer, when bright fruits begin to form on the bushes, combined with rich green foliage. In autumn, euonymus becomes most attractive due to its red foliage. For this reason, the plants are ideal for autonalia (gardens of autumn flowers), they are in perfect harmony with other shrubs and trees that change the color of their foliage in the autumn.
Also, sacred euonymus is suitable for erecting hedges, decorating rocky gardens and borders. Shrubs can be used in both single and group plantings on the lawn. Euonymus looks very attractive in any composition. Many gardeners consider this species to be the most decorative.
The species is winter-hardy, shade-tolerant, and has an average growth rate. It grows from the second ten days of April to mid-late September; the exact growing season depends on climatic conditions. Sacred euonymus seeds are 100% viable, but soil germination is low and does not exceed 30%. But this species is easily propagated by cuttings; when cuttings are treated with growth stimulants, rooting reaches 95-100%, and we are talking about both green and semi-lignified cuttings.
The seed method is ineffective and is rarely used. Seeds are sown in autumn in greenhouses or in spring in open ground with preliminary two-stage stratification: 3-4 months at a temperature of 15-20C, 3-4 months at a temperature of 0-3C. Like other ornamental shrubs, the sacred euonymus attracts pests and is often affected by various diseases, as a rule, this occurs when care rules are not followed or unfavorable conditions. Among the pests, it should be noted aphids and apple moths, the caterpillars of which cover the shoots and leaves with a thick web and eat them almost naked, as a result of which the bushes lose their former decorative appearance.
The fight against apple moth is difficult; in order to prevent damage, plants are systematically treated with decoctions and infusions, for example, onion or mustard infusion, decoction of red hot pepper or citrus infusion. When pests and nests are detected, they are collected manually; if treatment is not carried out in time, the caterpillars will begin to spread with enormous speed and infect nearby growing crops.
Many gardeners know very well what euonymus is. However, in some regions this plant is known as wolf berries, wolf earrings, and bruslina. And scientifically it is called Euonymus. This is how Carl Linnaeus christened him, combining the ancient Greek eu, that is, “good,” and onymus, “name, title.” The result was “a good, beautiful, glorious name” or simply “glorious”. Indeed, any type of euonymus is incredibly beautiful and effective in its own way, which is why landscape designers love it so much. And the unpretentiousness of the plant was appreciated by the owners of their personal plots. But the uncapricious, handsome euonymus has its own secrets, the knowledge of which determines the success of its cultivation.
For those who do not yet know what euonymus is, the photo will help to understand the issue. A distinctive feature of this plant is its fruits - seed pods that ripen in the fall. It is then that they turn from green, inconspicuous, almost invisible against the background of foliage to bright red, crimson, purple or yellow (depending on the species, variety). Externally, the boxes are tetrahedral, hanging from a branch on thin thread-petioles. When fully ripe, they burst, revealing to the world four with black dots-eyes. All together it resembles parachutes or miniature Chinese lanterns. The berries do not fall until frost and always attract attention, and in addition, some people, especially children, make them want to try them. They taste sweet and sour, so without knowing what euonymus is and why it is dangerous, you can eat quite a lot of them. The consequences of such a meal are sad, since the berries are poisonous. After them, a persistent bitterness appears in the mouth, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and fever begin. Therefore, you need to plant euonymus on your site in places where children do not walk, or explain to them clearly that these beautiful berries cannot be eaten.
All euonymuses belong to the genus Euonymaceae. Depending on the species, they can be dwarf, only 30-50 cm tall, medium and tall, stretching up to 10 meters. The foliage of various euonymus trees is mostly green in summer, but some have a white or yellow border or are speckled. In autumn, the foliage of evergreen species does not change, but that of deciduous species flashes with dozens of shades of red, orange, and purple. By this sign you can also recognize what an euonymus is. The photo below shows one of the medium-sized species. It shows without further ado how spectacular the crown of these plants is.
But their flowers are not particularly remarkable, although they are also not without some originality. In some species, for example, in the winged euonymus, they resemble small wonderful creatures with 4 wings and 4 proboscis protruding from 4 pads. Other representatives of the genus have flowers that are less exotic, small, yellow-green, and practically odorless. The branches are also noteworthy. When cut they are round or square. Their bark is brown in color, in some species it is smooth, in others with growths, in others with longitudinal cork-like wing-like formations.
Previously, people involved in the production of rubber knew very well what euonymus was, since gutta-percha was made from its juice. Even now in medicine, especially in dentistry, materials obtained from warty euonymus are used. And they are needed for the treatment of periodontitis and pulpitis. Traditional healers advise using euonymus (bark, berries, leaves, branches) for heart disease, hypertension, skin ailments, and migraines. And smart gardeners plant winged euonymus among apple trees and other fruit trees, because plants of this species take on the blow of hordes of pests, saving the garden from them. What a wonderful plant this is.
To finally understand what euonymus is and what can be expected from it, we will tell you about the methods of its propagation. And there are only two of them - vegetative and seeds. I must say that the last option is not the most successful, because it is troublesome and time-consuming. It is advisable to sow freshly harvested seeds - in the fall before winter, so that they undergo natural stratification. This is usually done by robins, for which euonymus berries are not poisonous. With this sowing technology, seeds germinate in the 2nd year. You can speed up the process by stratification. To do this, euonymus seeds are washed from the pulp, poured with a pink solution of potassium permanganate for 20 minutes, then kept in a cool place for 3-4 months (up to +12 °C), and then another 4-5 months in the cold (t from 0 to +3 °C). They are sown in prepared containers in early spring, making small holes or grooves in the soil - up to 2 cm - and then watered. Such seeds germinate in 2-3 weeks. It is advisable to mulch the seedlings with fine peat and water them regularly but moderately.
In order not to fool yourself, it is better to propagate euonymus vegetatively. There are several ways - layering, cuttings, dividing the bush. Species whose branches spread along the ground or are located close to it are propagated by layering - for example, European dwarf euonymus, winged euonymus, Fortune, Japanese. The branch is tilted, pinned to the surface, and sprinkled with soil. After 1.5 months it will give roots. Then the branch is separated and planted in the right place. By dividing the bush, low-growing and medium-growing euonymus are propagated, which produce abundant growth and have a superficial root system that spreads shallowly underground. This operation is necessary not only to obtain new plants, but also to rejuvenate old ones. The bush is dug up, a fragment of the rhizome with a shoot is carefully separated and planted in a new place.
This method can be used to propagate any type of euonymus. Cuttings in late spring - early summer are cut from plants over 4 years old. They must be at least 8-10 cm in length and have at least one internode. To obtain the best result, it is advisable to keep them in a rooter according to the instructions. Next, the cuttings are placed in a greenhouse with ready-made soil (a mixture of leaf soil and sand in a ratio of 1:3), sprinkled with sand on top, watered and covered with film. The roots are formed by autumn, at which time the young seedling can be transplanted to a permanent place.
So, we found out what euonymus is. Where does it grow? This question is also of great importance, as it determines his life preferences. There are just over 200 species of euonymus in the world, of which approximately 80-90 are deciduous. Some species feel comfortable in sunlit areas (Maak's euonymus), others prefer partial shade (warty, European euonymus), and others like shade (Sakhalin, sacred). These features need to be taken into account when choosing a plant for your garden. You can plant an acquired type of euonymus without taking into account its light vagaries, but representatives with variegated leaves in the shade will lose their spectacular coloring, and shade-loving ones in the bright sun will grow slowly and without the splendor of the crown.
But absolutely all types of euonymus do not like an abundance of moisture. They should not be planted where there is stagnation of water or where groundwater is too close to the surface. If there is no other place for this plant on the site, it is necessary to arrange a drainage cushion of expanded clay, crushed stone, and sand in the planting hole. Its thickness depends on the hydrological condition of the area. Water the euonymus moderately, a little more often on hot days than on cool days.
Euonymus is also picky about soil composition. They will not grow beautiful and healthy on acidic soils - only on neutral or slightly alkaline and necessarily light soils. Acidity can be reduced by adding lime, and heavy loams can be lightened by adding sand, manure, or turf soil. Throughout the season, euonymus is fed with organic matter and mineral fertilizers. Then the plants turn out especially lush, bright and beautiful.
Representatives of this species are dwarf, medium and tall. They grow as bushes or trees. Their branches have cork “wings”, and the petioles of the fruit-pods are somewhat shorter than those of other species.
Many gardeners like the European dwarf euonymus for its compactness and beauty of the crown. The photo above shows how tiny these plants are. Most dwarf species are evergreen shrubs. Therefore, in the fall they do not delight with fiery colors, but throughout the year they create beautiful rich green spots on the site. The branches of different varieties of dwarf euonymus can grow upward, forming a neat compact bush up to 1 meter high, or they can spread along the ground, rising only 30-50 cm above it. The leaves of all dwarf euonymus are mostly elongated, dense, leathery, with leafy plastic on top glossy, matte underneath. The plants bloom in mid-summer, and the fruits ripen in early autumn. The European euonymus “red cascade” has great charm. This name was given to the plant for the fantastically beautiful red-raspberry-burgundy-purple fireworks of its autumn foliage. This euonymus is frost-resistant, more unpretentious to the soil than others, tolerant of pruning, loves partial shade and places where there is sun, but not all day.
In the forests of Moldova, Ukraine, and Romania, you can often find dwarf European euonymus. Planting and caring for this species are the same as for other representatives of the Euonymus genus. The only thing that is advisable to take into account is the fact that low-growing euonymus prefer shady areas of the garden, or at least partial shade. They are an ideal choice for arranging living fencing, rockeries, and upward-growing dwarf varieties make unique topiary compositions. This beauty reproduces by seeds, layering, dividing the bush, and cuttings.
Dwarf euonymus are not as frost-resistant as their tall counterparts. Some gardeners solve this problem by covering the creeping bushes of the plant with spruce branches in the cold, while others plant baby euonymuses in containers and bring them indoors in winter. The ambient temperature for them in the house should be within +15 ... +16 degrees, air humidity and watering should be moderate. If you place a potted plant near a radiator, it may shed its leaves.
What is warty euonymus is best understood by looking at the photo above. It clearly shows growths on the branches and trunk, resembling warts. These formations are needed to improve the breathing of living people. Its second distinctive feature is the mousey “aroma” of flowers. Outwardly, they are completely inconspicuous, small, flat, and thanks to the brownish color of the petals, they seem lifeless. But the fruits of the warty euonymus are as bright and showy as those of other representatives of the genus. Its third feature, useful for propagation by dividing the bush, is a superficial root system with many fibrous roots.
Warty euonymus is a semi-deciduous plant, as its foliage can remain on the branches for up to 7 years. In summer it is green, and in autumn it becomes incredibly beautiful - pink-raspberry-red. The warty euonymus lives for about 50 years, grows slowly, and when it reaches 30 years, it stops growing in size altogether. In temperate latitudes of Russia it is a bush with a maximum height of 3 meters.
This species is notable for the fact that it can be grown both on the site and in an apartment in an ordinary pot. Japanese euonymus makes beautiful bonsai arrangements. Externally, Japanese euonymus, depending on the variety, differ significantly. So, there are species with yellow stains on the leaves (golden euonymus), with whitish ones (silver) or with ordinary green ones. Some leaves have serrated edges. But they bloom and, accordingly, bear fruit rarely. Caring for indoor Japanese euonymus consists of proper watering and providing the necessary lighting. Species with variegated leaves need enough light, and green ones are suitable for apartment window sills where the sun rarely shines. Indoor euonymus plants are watered somewhat more abundantly than outdoor ones, especially in the warm season. In summer, it is advisable to additionally spray your pets with water at room temperature. Indoor Japanese euonymus can hardly tolerate heat; for them, the air temperature should not exceed +20 degrees in summer and +15 in winter. Feeding is carried out according to the general principle. Pruning is carried out if you need to give your euonymus an interesting look, as well as to make the crown thicker and more lush.
A beautiful, unpretentious plant that can easily withstand the gas pollution and smoke of industrial cities - this is how gardeners characterize European euonymus. All types are used for landscape design, it all depends on the purpose and desired composition. Thus, tall representatives are excellent as landmarks, creeping ones are beautiful and effective as cover plants, and shade-tolerant ones are ideal as hedges. It is especially unique, which is capable of climbing supports to a height of up to 3 meters, clinging to them with its roots. And the European euonymus is good for masking less than aesthetically pleasing places in your garden, for example, a barn. But a veranda or terrace can also be decorated with a spectacular euonymus. Dwarf varieties are excellent for creating ridges, which have become very popular in England.
Not only gardeners, but also wildlife lovers can tell you what euonymus is. Both fjords (especially in Spain, Chile, America), and mountain slopes, for example, in the Himalayas, and floodplains of rivers on Sakhalin, and the edges of forests in the Far East, in China are decorated with beautiful foliage and unusual fruits by the many-sided euonymus.
Finally, I would like to briefly tell you what diseases euonymus are susceptible to. These plants attract a lot of pests, including scale insects, aphids, moths, hawthorn, spider mites and flat mites. They need to be controlled with appropriate insecticides. Of the diseases of euonymus, the most common is white mold, which appears at high humidity and ambient temperature.
The beautiful euonymus shrub is not very actively used in ornamental gardening. It is good in both single and group plantings, when creating. The crown is lacy, small leaves on branching shoots create a natural, intricate ornament. The plant changes color during the growing season: in summer the bush is dark green, in autumn it suddenly, within a week, acquires all shades of red and orange. The ripening fruits look like small lanterns; they also greatly decorate the garden.
From Latin the name of the shrub is translated as “glorious plant with a good name.” In the wild, plants of this genus live in the undergrowth of mixed and deciduous forests; they are characteristic of temperate and subtropical climates of both hemispheres, sometimes found in the tropics, and are avoided only in the northernmost regions.
The euonymus genus unites evergreen and deciduous shrubs and low trees with rounded or tetrahedral shoots, with corky growths, and smooth leaves located oppositely. The flowers are inconspicuous, brownish or greenish, pale in color, and bloom after the foliage appears. The fruit of the euonymus is a leathery, dry capsule containing white, red or brown seeds. In summer it is almost invisible, blends in with the foliage, but by September it becomes decorative and brightly colored. The color of the fruit depends on the plant variety, most often these are shades of yellow, scarlet, burgundy, dark purple, but there is also a white-fruited form. Against the background of greenery, the bright boxes look like real garlands. When the main color of the bush turns red, the boxes crack and seeds fly out of them on “parachutes”. The fruits are poisonous, but not so poisonous that you could be seriously poisoned by one or two berries.
Another decorative detail: the young shoots of the bush are covered with brown or greenish bark. Euonymus warty can be found in the shade of Russian forests; its bark is green and covered with brown warts.
It is better to plant Maak's euonymus in open space. The varieties “Warty” and “European” will feel good in partial shade. In the shade on the border of the site, you can build an original hedge of Sakhalin or sacred euonymus; varieties grow well. For planting on a slope, the same Sakhalin variety or large-winged variety is best suited; the lower branches will take root and create additional support points. A very important quality is that plants from this family tolerate urban conditions well; they are smoke and gas resistant.
Euonymus is demanding on the composition of the soil and does not tolerate stagnation. For good growth and development, slightly alkaline or neutral compounds are required; acidic soils can be “corrected” by adding lime. For better fruiting, mineral and organic fertilizers are added to the bushes, and sand is added to clayey soil compositions.
The best for the plant are rooms with winter temperatures for varieties with green foliage - from two to eight degrees, for variegated ones - from six to sixteen degrees. This could be a cool winter garden, an insulated loggia. In summer, the desired temperature is moderate, up to 20 degrees. Too hot and dry conditions are dangerous; such climates contribute to the spread of ticks.
The watering schedule depends on the temperature; in winter it can be moderate to very moderate. At the same time, the earthen lump should not dry out too much. Every year, in early spring, young plants are replanted; these agrotechnical works can be carried out from the beginning of February. Old bushes are replanted less often. You should not combine replanting and pruning for rejuvenating purposes. The soil mixture should be of medium density, ideally: garden or turf soil, sand, compost, peat, leaf humus.
Most species reproduce well and successfully by vegetative means: by root suckers, dividing the bush, and green cuttings. For the latter method, in the middle of summer, elastic young shoots are selected, cuttings of four to six centimeters are cut, on which one internode is located. The selected planting material is planted under a film in a greenhouse, and a sand layer of five to seven centimeters is poured on top of the fertile soil. After a month and a half, the petioles should acquire roots.
Propagation by seeds is more difficult; when sown without freezing the seeds and in the wild, they will germinate only in the second year. Immediately after collection, the material is stratified. The procedure takes place in two stages. The seeds are mixed with calcined coarse sand or moistened and decomposed sphagnum peat, the ratio is one to two. The mixture is kept at a temperature of 10 to 12 degrees for three to four months. When the shell of most seeds bursts, the temperature is reduced to zero and the planting material is stored in such conditions for another four to five months. To avoid possible rotting, before planting, the seeds are cleared of their roots and treated with a solution of potassium permanganate.
Planting material is sown in beds with shallow, two-centimeter grooves, the soil is a substrate of turf and leaf soil, sand and humus, the ratio is 1: 4: 1: 2. Shoots should appear in two to three weeks. In autumn and spring, the soil is mulched with peat crumbs in a three-centimeter layer. In the summer, young plants are watered, fertilized with mullein and covered with spruce branches for the winter. Only in the third year are young euonymuses transplanted to a permanent place of growth.
The plant is native to the temperate latitudes of Eurasia. The shrub grows up to three and a half meters or it can be a tree up to six meters high. Young shoots are green in color and covered with black-brown warts. Flowers are located on long stalks. Flowering time is May-June. The mature capsule is pink-red in color, the seeds are gray or black, the shoot is bright red or pinkish-orange.
As the name suggests, the plant’s homeland is the European part of the mainland. The tree or bush reaches a height of seven meters. There are cork growths on the branches, which give them their original tetrahedral shape. It blooms in May and June, the fruits ripen in September and October. The boxes are pink in color and the variety is drought-resistant.
Homeland - temperate Eurasian regions, shoots are located vertically, reaching a meter in height. The leaves are narrow, finely toothed, the fruits are greenish-yellow, ripen in August and September. The plant is shade-loving, propagated by cuttings, dividing bushes, and layering.
Another name is sacred euonymus. Its homeland is the Far East, in the wild nature of this region it reaches a height of two meters, in the middle zone it usually does not exceed one meter. The young shoots are green, the fruits are dark red, and the foliage becomes the same color in the fall. The shrub is shade-tolerant.
The species is native to the mountains of Central Asia; in these areas the shrub grows under the forest canopy. Height - up to a meter, foliage - yellowish-green, leathery, with short petioles, flowers - dark purple, small. The edges are greenish, collected in small inflorescences along the edges of the branches. The varieties are winter-hardy and shade-tolerant, preferring moderate humidity. Reproduction occurs by seeds.
A creeping shrub native to China, height up to 60 cm, branches up to three meters. If there is support, then the branches actively cling to it. The leaves are pointed, small, leathery. The plant is drought-resistant and gas-resistant, loves fertilized, loose soil. This is the most frost-resistant variety of evergreen euonymus. Tolerates full sun, but prefers partial shade. Breeders have developed many decorative forms of the plant; some varieties have a yellow edging of foliage, which becomes green with age, and becomes red-brown in winter. This type of euonymus can be grown at home, but in winter it needs to be provided with a cool microclimate. In the middle zone, shrubs are grown in containers in the open air, and for the winter they are removed to cold, unheated rooms or provide high-quality shelter for the plantings.
Another name for the plant is “pseudolaurus”. Homeland – Land of the Rising Sun. In the middle zone it grows up to half a meter in height, in the south it takes on a liana-like shape, length up to seven meters. The leaves are leathery, dark green in color. Flowers are yellowish-green, inflorescences appear in June. Tolerates partial shade and air pollution well. Can be grown indoors, in a bright and unheated room. When warm, it sheds its leaves.
Rooting euonymus can also live in an apartment, creeping shoots need support, the leaves are white-green or green.
Unfortunately, pests are very fond of euonymus. Perhaps this is the main reason that influenced the rather weak spread of culture. Apple moths, hawthorns, and aphids nest on forest warty and European euonymus, but not only codling moths and flower beetles. If you plant a shrub near fruit crops, it will “repel” all pests, and the apple or pear trees will remain clean. This feature is often used by gardeners to protect the site. The euonymus is not allowed to die, it is treated with chemicals, this method allows you to get a full harvest of cultivated plants growing in the neighborhood.
To combat scale insects, the plant is sprayed with an Actellik solution, and the spider mites are washed off with a soap solution. If a red flat mite appears on the bush, it is necessary to remove the damaged leaves; the euonymus is sprayed with any insecticide.
Euonymus is a good choice for a gardener; the plants are unpretentious, decorative, and shade-tolerant. In the summer they look quite modest, but in the autumn they become very beautiful and attractive.
