Collection: Euonymus Plants

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.