Euonymus Plants
For foliage with the wow factor, place all your chips on euonymus. For a kick off, you can rely on our grower John to raise the healthiest, hardiest shrubs you can lay your hands on. It’s slow growing and naturally compact so you can grow it in a pot, in a border, as a hedge or bush and even train it up a wall. The evergreen euonymus will grow in any light conditions, including full shade, so they’re ideal for brightening up those gloomy corners.
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South Downs National Park
Meet John
110 years' expertise free with every plant
Straight from the capable hands of our shrub specialist John to your garden, you can be sure that each bush, hedge and plant is grown to last. Nurtured in the fields of the South Downs and professionally pruned for the best shape, these hardy feature plants will be adding structure, colour and variety to your garden for many years to come.
Euonymus FAQs
What is euonymus?
Eunonymus are compact flowering shrubs, small trees or climbers (depending on variety) which can be evergreen or deciduous. They’re prized for their vibrant foliage and in deciduous varieties, their bold autumn colour.
Which types of euonymus are suitable for growing in the UK?
Eunoymus plants which grow happily in the UK include Eunonymus fortunei (climbing or ground cover plants), Euonymus japonicus (evergreen shrubs) and Euonymus alatus, deciduous shrubs with spectacular red autumn foliage.
What are the ideal growing conditions for euonymus?
Euonymus plants like a position in full sun or partial shade (variegated euonymus are best grown in full sun as their colours do better), with well drained soil of any type - even clay. They should be well watered when newly planted, but once established, they’re drought tolerant and only need watering in hot or dry spells.
How do I plant euonymus?
The best time to plant euonymus is in spring or autumn when the soil is warm and the plant will have plenty of time to develop its root system in the milder weather. Dig a hole as deep as the roots and twice as wide, then position your euonymus in it at the same level it was growing in the pot. Fill in the hole and firm down the soil well around the plant, before giving it a good watering.
How should I care for euonymus?
To encourage healthy leaf growth, feed your euonymus annually in the spring with a balanced, slow release fertiliser. Keep the soil moist but not waterlogged and if needed, prune in late winter or early spring, removing any dead or damaged branches and trimming lightly to keep your plant well shaped. Euonymus is hardy and won’t need winter protection.
Can euonymus be used as hedging?
Euonymus japonicus and some fortunei varieties make great hedging plants, due to their evergreen foliage and dense growth habit. Low growing eunoymus varieties can also be used as path edging.
What are some companion plants for euonymus?
Plant your euonymus with other evergreens, such as box, hydrangea or hostas for a good range of shapes and textures, or use it as the backdrop for your perennial flower border. Euonymus elatus is a good specimen tree for a bed or lawn, as the autumn colour makes a spectacular feature. Compact euonymus varieties also look lovely in pots, grouped together with other foliage plants like ornamental grasses, hostas and heucheras.
