Wintercreeper Euonymus

(Euonymus fortunei `Green and Gold')

August 1996

Summary:

Foliage: Evergreen broadleaf
Height: 4 inches as a ground cover 20 feet as a vine
Shape: Spreading

Form, foliage size and color vary depending on cultivar. Usually considered either a ground cover or vine, some cultivars are shrubs.

Plant Needs:

Zone: 4 to 9
Light: Partial shade to full sun
Moisture: Moist
Soil Type: Sandy, loam, or clay
pH Range: 3.7 to 7.0

Functions:

Suggested uses for this plant include ground cover and climbing vine.

Planting Notes:

Transplants readily.
Tolerates wide ranges of soil conditions, except extremely wet conditions.
When using as a ground cover, space plants 18 to 24 inches apart in the spring.

Care:

Easy to maintain, as long as scale insects are controlled.
Some pruning of upright shoots keeps the ground cover more compact.

Problems:

Euonymus scale, a white-covered scale insect, is the most serious pest. A severe infestation will make the underside of leaves and the entire stem white. Unless controlled, this pest will eventually kill the plant.

Alternatives:

Consult local sources, including historic or public gardens and arboreta, regarding cultivars and related species that grow well in your area.
Cultivars of EUONYMUS FORTUNEI:

`Emerald and Gold', shown, is a low growing ground cover which has green leaves with gold margins. (1 to 2 feet high).
`Sarcoxie' is an upright form ( up to 4 feet high) that makes an excellent, broad-leaved, erect evergreen shrub.
Related species:

FORTUNEI var. COLORATUS (Purpleleaf Wintercreeper) is an excellent evergreen vine for covering large areas, banks, slopes, and shaded areas under trees. Foliage turns purplish-red in early fall and remains this color throughout the winter.

Comments:

Wintercreeper is useful for training against walls, for climbing over low walls and on tree trunks, and for ground covers.
The vine may be allowed to completely cover a wall or may be thinned out to give a tailored effect.

Additional Materials:

The following Extension publications are available through your local Extension office or directly from: Virginia Tech Extension Distribution Center 112 Landsdowne St. Blacksburg, VA 24061
#426-608 "Selecting Landscape Plants - Ornamental Vines
#426-609 "Selecting Landscape Plants - Ground Covers"
#426-607 "Selecting Landscape Plants - Broad-leaved Evergreens"

This material was developed by Carol Ness as part of the Interactive Design and Development Project funded by the Kellogg Foundation. Mary Miller, Project Director. Diane Relf, Content Specialist, Horticulture. Copyright 1989 by VCE.

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