Autumn at its f laming best
It’s modest for much of the year, but right now the dazzling spindle tree comes alive
EUONYMUS europaeus is a native tree that is most commonly found in hedgerows, scrubland and on the edge of woodland. It’s easily overlooked for much of the year but you really can’t miss it in autumn – dark green, oval leaves turn reddish purple and masses of bubblegum-pink fruit crack open to reveal glowing orange seeds.
Like many indigenous species, it played an important part in the lives of country folk. The long, straight branches of the tree contain wood that is hard, tough and easy to sharpen to a point. As a result, stems were gathered to make spindles for spinning wheels, a device used for centuries to create yarn and thread.
Due to its long association with the manufacture of textiles, the plant is still known simply as spindle tree. This common name is also shared by scores of other euonymus from much further afield that are similarly blessed with spectacular autumn foliage and showy fruit that often persists well into winter. Apart from our native spindle, the rest of this family of deciduous trees and shrubs originate from Asia, especially Japan, China and Korea. They range in height from 5ft to 20ft, and their fairly unremarkable green leaves take on vivid shades of yellow, red and purple before they fall, depending on variety.
As their botanical name would suggest, spindles are related to the likes of Euonymus fortunei ‘Emerald ’n’ Gold’, ‘Sunspot’ and countless other popular evergreens that are widely grown as climbers, dwarf hedging and ground cover. They might not be as well known, but for my money, spindles have many more attributes.
Their foliage may be the main draw in autumn, but they have the added attraction of pink, red or orange fruit that dangle from the branches long after leaves have dropped. The spherical structures split apart to display seeds covered by a fleshy orange or red coatings, known as arils.
Perhaps the most remarkable fruit belong to Euonymus cornutus var. quinquecornutus, a Chinese variety discovered by Ernest Wilson in 1908. When its bulbous pink pods open, orange seeds are left suspended below a structure with five curved horns that resembles a jester’s hat. Some even unveil showy stems once the leaves drop, making them perfect for adding interest over winter. Take, for example, varieties of Euonymus alatus. They have olive-green shoots that are adorned with raised corky ridges – alatus comes from the Latin word for winged, referring to this prominent feature.
Spindles are easy-going plants that will tolerate light shade but tend to colour up better in autumn, and produce better berries, if set in full sun. They’re not particularly fussy about soil, so long as it’s free-draining, and will even do well in tricky chalky ground. The one thing they can’t stand is waterlogged conditions.
Taller ones are great at the back of borders, set in the centre of island beds or used as specimens in lawns – those with corky wings are perfect in a dedicated winter garden. Euonymus europaeus makes a great hedge in a rural setting. Space individual plants 12in apart in a single row.
Over time, spindles might outgrow their allotted position or become congested, resulting in plants muscling out others or losing their attractive shape. Restore order by shortening wayward stems and thinning out while they are dormant, between late winter and early spring.
Neglected spindles need tougher treatment. Cut back a third of stems to just above the ground, sprinkle fertiliser granules over the surface and then mulch to encourage fresh growth. Repeat the process annually until all the old stems have been removed.
Seeds hang below a curved structure just like a jester’s hat