Euonymus maackii

Euonymus hamiltonianus subsp. maackii, now known as Euonymus maackii, is an Asian botanical species commonly called Hamilton's Spindle or Maack's Spindle. It is a deciduous small tree that charms with its abundant pink and red fruiting and its autumn colours in shades of pink, yellow, and salmon. It remains decorative for a good part of the year, even in winter, thanks to fruits that remain attached long after the late leaf fall. It integrates easily into a free or rustic hedge and can even make a beautiful focal point in a collector's garden.

Maack's Spindle is a bushy, spreading, and well-branched shrub that mainly grows in forests and thickets in Asia. It is a botanical species found in southeastern Siberia, China, Korea, and Japan. It is quite similar to the European Spindle, but it has a slightly larger growth, although its dimensions may vary significantly depending on the growing conditions. In favourable conditions this spindle forms a small tree 3 to 4.50 m tall. Its crown, rounded and open, measures between 3 and 4 m in diameter. Its branches, with greyish and deeply fissured bark, bear fairly thick oval leaves, measuring 5 to 8 cm long. They are light to medium green. Flowering occurs between late April and June, depending on the climate. The inconspicuous flowers do not exceed 1 cm in diameter. White with yellow and green highlights, they consist of 4 tiny petals and a green centre. Grouped in small clusters, they attract pollinators and gradually form particularly decorative fruits. The capsule, formed by 4 slightly mauve pink lobes, slowly opens to reveal bright orange berries that open to reveal red seeds. The berries are toxic, as are other parts of the shrub: leaves and bark. However, birds will eat them during winter. The foliage of this spindle falls late, and it may even persist partially in regions with mild winters. The leaves take on beautiful yellow tones and then coppery pink to salmon before falling.

Euonymus maackii appreciates sunny as well as semi-shaded exposures. It likes rich, well-drained, deep soils that do not dry out too much in summer. Its autumn foliage and remarkable fruiting make this small tree a beautiful subject for free hedges, adding colour and life. You can also plant it along the edge of a lawn or in the centre of a flower bed. When planted in isolation, it will tolerate the presence of nearby perennials. Surrounded by Asters, Japanese Anemones, and Sedums, it will create a cheerful autumn scene. In an informal hedge, you can associate it with the wayfaring tree, Clerodendrum trichotomum, or purple hazelnut, for example.