Winged euonymus: Compactus, Chicago fire, Fireball

A photo and description of the winged euonymus will allow you to find the most suitable variety for cultivation. The shrub has a bright color of foliage, undemanding to the soil and care.

Description of winged euonymus

The winged euonymus in Latin sounds like “Eunomus Alatus”. This is a member of the Bereskletovye family. In nature, the plant is found in the Far East, China and Japan. Its habitat: mixed forests, highlands, meadows, river valleys. The shrub was first studied and described by Japanese scientists.

Characterization

Euonymus is a deciduous shrub. Shoots are green, erect or creeping. The plant got its name due to the tetrahedral branches with horizontal growths resembling wings.

The leaves are small, dark green elliptical, 2 to 7 cm long and 1 to 3 cm wide. The leaf plate is shiny, dense, without pubescence. In May-June, small flowers bloom, which are invisible against the background of green foliage. At the end of summer, bright crimson fruits are formed in the form of boxes.

Important! The fruits of the shrub are poisonous, if ingested, cause poisoning.

In autumn, the leaves change color to crimson, orange or purple. The color depends on the variety and where it is grown. Foliage is at its brightest when exposed to the sun. In the shade, the color becomes muted.

Winged euonymus is shown in the photo:

Winged euonymus: Compactus, Chicago fire, Fireball

The height of the winged euonymus

The size of the winged euonymus depends on the variety. Under natural conditions, the shrub grows up to 3–4 m. In personal plots, it reaches 2–2,5 m. It is characterized by a weak growth force. During the year, the size of the shrub increases by 10–15 cm.

Winter hardiness of the winged beresklet

The frost resistance of the winged euonymus is high. It can withstand up to -34 °C. The shrub is suitable for cultivation in the middle lane, as well as in the northern and mountainous regions. Autumn preparation helps to increase its frost resistance.

Important! Branches freeze in severe winters.

Winged euonymus in landscape design

Euonymus is used in single and group plantings. The shrub helps create a hedge. For a solitary landing, more free space is allocated under it. Small plants are planted nearby. In autumn, a bright bush looks impressive against the background of the lawn.

The winged euonymus looks good next to other trees and ornamental shrubs. It is combined with conifers, jasmine, viburnum, wild rose, broom, barberry.

The shrub is suitable for decorating personal plots, recreation areas, alleys and parks. Varieties tolerate gas pollution and pollution of cities. You can plant a shrub next to a pond, fountain, terrace, gazebo.

Winged euonymus: Compactus, Chicago fire, Fireball

Varieties of winged euonymus (Euonymus Alatus)

There are several varieties of this species. All of them differ in the size of the bush, the color of the leaves and fruits.

Euonymus winged Compactus

According to the description, the winged euonymus Compactus reaches a height of 1,5 m, in girth – 2 m. The crown is of the correct shape, thickened, openwork along the edges. The leaves are bright green in summer, turning reddish-purple in autumn. The leaf plate is rounded, 3–5 cm long.

Small flowers bloom in May-June. They are yellow-green in color and hardly noticeable against the background of green sheets. In autumn, orange-red fruits ripen, which hang on branches until winter.

Euonymus winged Compactus in the garden is planted in a sunny place. In the shade, the decorative properties are significantly reduced. The variety needs frequent watering.

Winged euonymus: Compactus, Chicago fire, Fireball

Winged Euonymus Chicago Fire

The Chicago Fire variety grows up to 1,2 m in height. The width of the shrub is 1,5 m. The crown is round, the shoots are horizontal. The leaves are simple, elliptical in shape. In summer, the color is dark green. In autumn, the winged euonymus changes color to bright crimson. The flowers are inconspicuous, appear in May, do not stand out against the foliage. Fruits 8 mm long ripen in a dark red shell.

The Chicago Fire variety grows well in shady and sunny places. The composition of the soil is unpretentious, the main requirement is fertility. Growth rates are moderate. The variety has high frost resistance, but freezes slightly in severe winters.

Winged euonymus: Compactus, Chicago fire, Fireball

Winged euonymus Fireball

The winged euonymus shrub of the Fireball variety is a deciduous shrub with a spherical crown. The plant is bushy and compact. The variety grows slowly. Shoots are ribbed, hard, with cork outgrowths. In the middle lane grows up to 1,5 m in height. It reaches 1,5 m in girth. It grows 5-10 cm per year.

The leaves are green, elliptical in shape, lighter on the underside. The length of the leaf plate is 2–5 cm. In autumn, the leaves turn red with a purple and lilac tint. In the shade they are mauve.

The flowers are inconspicuous, green-yellow, collected in umbrellas of 3 pcs. Flowering is plentiful, falls on the end of May – the beginning of June. The fruits are orange-red, are in boxes.

Important! The Fireball variety is frost-resistant, tolerates urban conditions well.

The shrub prefers fertile soils of moderate moisture. In spring and autumn, pest control is required. The plant is planted in the light, but partial shade is also allowed.

Winged euonymus: Compactus, Chicago fire, Fireball

Euonymus winged Macrophilis

Macrofilis euonymus is a deciduous shrub up to 1,5 m high and 1,2 m in diameter. The growth of shoots is moderate. The flowers are small and inconspicuous, almost invisible.

The Macrophilis variety differs from other varieties in its elongated leaves. In summer they are dark green, while in autumn they take on a carmine coloration. The fruits are orange-red, ripen in boxes.

The winged euonymus tree prefers sunny places, but it is planted in partial shade. With a lack of lighting, the color becomes less bright. Macrophilis variety requires fertile soil and moderate watering.

Winged euonymus: Compactus, Chicago fire, Fireball

Planting and caring for winged euonymus

For the successful cultivation of euonymus, the rules of planting are observed. Regular care is provided throughout the season.

Rules of landing

Euonymus Alatus is planted in early spring or late autumn. For him, choose a sunny area or light partial shade. The soil should be light and fertile. Acidic soil is lime before planting. Since the bush grows over time, it is removed from buildings and other crops by 3–4 m.

The order of planting the euonymus:

  1. Under the seedling, they dig a hole 60 cm deep and 80 cm in diameter.
  2. A drainage layer of broken brick or expanded clay is poured at the bottom.
  3. The pit is filled with a mixture of black soil and compost and left for 3 weeks to shrink.
  4. The seedling is placed in a hole, the root collar is placed at ground level.
  5. The roots are covered with soil, compacted and watered abundantly.

Watering and top dressing

The main care for the winged euonymus includes watering and fertilizing. The shrub prefers soil of moderate moisture. Stagnation of moisture, as well as drying out of the soil, is unacceptable. To reduce the number of waterings, the trunk circle is mulched with humus or peat.

Important! After rain or moisture, the soil is loosened so that the roots of the tree can better absorb nutrients.

Winged euonymus: Compactus, Chicago fire, Fireball

The shrub is fed throughout the season. In early spring, organic matter containing nitrogen is introduced: an infusion of bird droppings or mullein. Top dressing stimulates the growth of new shoots and leaves. In summer, they switch to top dressing with complex fertilizers. For this, any preparation for ornamental shrubs is suitable. Such complexes contain nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

In late autumn, mineral fertilizers are introduced into the soil. For 1 sq. m requires 500 g of superphosphate and 400 g of potassium sulfate. Substances are embedded in the soil to a depth of 10 cm. Instead of mineral fertilizers, compost and wood ash can be used.

Pruning winged euonymus

Due to pruning, the shape of the shrub is corrected. Usually they try to get a cone-shaped or elliptical crown. Processing is carried out in early spring or autumn, when the leaf fall has passed. Sanitary pruning is carried out annually. The bush is inspected and cut out broken, dry and frozen branches.

Preparation of winged euonymus for winter

Autumn preparation will help the shrub survive the winter frosts. First, the euonymus is watered abundantly. Wet soil freezes more slowly and becomes a protection from the cold. Then a layer of humus or peat mulch is poured into the near-stem circle.

Young plantings need more careful shelter. A frame and wooden planks or metal arcs are constructed above them. Covering material is attached to the base. It is best to use spunbond or agrofibre, which are well breathable. Seedlings often rot under polyethylene. Shelter is removed when the snow begins to melt and the air warms up.

Winged euonymus: Compactus, Chicago fire, Fireball

Reproduction of the winged euonymus

Euonymus breeding methods:

  1. Layers. In the spring, a strong and healthy shoot is chosen. It is bent to the ground, fastened with metal brackets and sprinkled with earth. The whole season, the layering is looked after: watered and fed. In autumn, the shoot is separated from the main bush and planted in a new place.
  2. By dividing the bush. Euonymus has branched powerful roots. This method is convenient when transplanting shrubs. The root system is divided into parts, the sections are sprinkled with charcoal. The resulting seedlings are transferred to a new place.
  3. Cuttings. In early spring, cuttings 10–12 cm long are cut. They are placed in water, where a root formation stimulator is added. Then the cuttings are planted in a greenhouse or containers with fertile soil. In autumn, seedlings are ready for planting in the ground.
  4. Seeds. The most difficult and time-consuming way. The seeds are stratified and soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate. Even in this case, the probability of emergence of seedlings is quite low. Sprouts are kept at home, they are provided with watering and top dressing. For 3 years, seedlings are transferred to open ground.

Diseases and pests

Euonymus is prone to powdery mildew. The disease manifests itself in the form of a white coating on the leaves. Bordeaux liquid or copper oxychloride is used to combat the lesion. The shrub is sprayed in dry cloudy weather. If necessary, the treatment is repeated after a week.

The shrub may suffer from the attack of aphids, caterpillars and spider mites. Insects feed on plant sap. As a result, the development of the euonymus slows down, the leaves curl and fall ahead of time. Fitoverm and Confidor are effective against pests. Spraying is carried out every 10 days.

Winged euonymus: Compactus, Chicago fire, Fireball

For the prevention of diseases and pests, it is important to observe agricultural technology. In autumn, they dig up the soil and remove fallen leaves. 

Reviews about winged euonymus

Kovalskaya Lyudmila Petrovna, 48 years old, Moscow region
I have been looking for a beautiful ornamental shrub for my garden for a long time. Based on reviews, I chose the winged Chicago Fire euonymus and did not regret it at all. The bush has become a real decoration for the garden. The variety is unpretentious to the soil, does not get sick, tolerates pruning well. The main disadvantage is a slow variety. Therefore, I do not recommend growing it from seeds, it is better to purchase a seedling. My bush grows in a sunny area, so in the fall it pleases with bright colors.
Orlova Valeria Stepanovna, 26 years old, Nizhny Novgorod
At relatives in the country, I saw a beautiful bush with bright crimson leaves. It turned out that this was a euonymus of the Macrofilis variety. I took home a couple of cuttings, which I planted at the house after rooting. In the first year, the tree grew by 30 cm. Now its height is almost human height. The plant is completely non-capricious, while it has a beautiful decorative appearance. I take care of the bushes to a minimum: in autumn and summer I feed them with mineral fertilizers.

Winged euonymus: Compactus, Chicago fire, Fireball

Conclusion

A photo and description of the winged euonymus will help you choose a variety suitable for each garden. The shrub endures cold winters and is unpretentious to weather conditions. To maintain growth, he is provided with care: watering, top dressing and pruning.

Authors of planting and propagation in autumn

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