Euonymus japonicus Green Spire - Japanese Spindle

Euonymus japonicus 'Green Spire' is a recent variety of Japanese spindle that stands out for its compact and dense habit, in the shape of a small, regular column. Like all Japanese spindles, it retains its green foliage throughout the year, even in winter. Easy to maintain and not very demanding, it is an excellent evergreen hedging shrub of low height that also blends well with many plants in the garden. It makes beautiful specimens in containers on the terrace and is well suited for topiary art. It can replace boxwood in sunny areas of the garden, including in lime-rich soils.

The Japanese spindle, in Latin Euonymus japonicus, belongs to the Celastraceae family. It is native, as its name suggests, to Japan, but it is also found in China and Korea. In the wild, this large shrub grows on slopes, in open areas at the edge of forests, and even by the seaside where it can grow into a tree up to 8 meters (26 feet 2 inches) tall. It has good tolerance to limestone and shows a preference for oceanic climates.

The recently selected 'Green Spire' cultivar, from the Netherlands, has a much more modest development and a narrower and denser habit. It can withstand temperatures as low as -15 °C (5 °F) for very short periods. In our gardens, it grow to around 50 cm (19.7 in) tall and 30 cm (11.8 in) wide after 5 years, its growth is slow. Its adult dimensions can reach 1.50 meters (4 feet 11 inches) in height and 75 cm (29.5 in) in width. Its habit is naturally upright, supported by vertical branches. Well-branched from the base, it bears dense foliage with glossy, vibrant green leaves. They are oval-shaped, 3 to 5 cm (1.2 to 2 in) long, with finely toothed edges. The discreet flowering occurs in May-June, at the tips of the young shoots. Tiny white-greenish flowers with 4 petals are grouped in slightly fragrant clusters. They are pollinated by insects and are followed by small green fruits hanging under the branches, that turn pink and orange in autumn. The foliage, evergreen in winter, can be scorched by severe frosts.

Euonymus japonicus Green Spire, traditionally used to create low evergreen hedges, can also be used in shrub beds, using contrasts with variegated varieties (such as the variegated spindles 'White Spire' or 'Aureus'), purple-leaved barberries, Myrtus tarentina, or even dwarf conifers with dark foliage (Chamaecyparis obtusa Nana, Pinus strobus Ontario...). Its foliage also accentuates many flowering plants. Well adapted to coastal areas and urban gardens, the Japanese spindle is often used to create hedges along pathways or property boundaries to protect them from wind and prying eyes. It is suitable for container gardening, on a terrace or a balcony, and can be pruned. Its height will be less significant in pots, allowing the plant to be shaped according to the gardener's whims, for examples through topiary art.