Common Name: spindletree
Type: Tree
Family: Celastraceae
Native Range: China, Korea
Zone: 4 to 8
Height: 15.00 to 24.00 feet
Spread: 10.00 to 15.00 feet
Bloom Time: May
Bloom Description: Yellowish-green
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Low
Suggested Use: Hedge
Flower: Insignificant
Leaf: Good Fall
Fruit: Showy
Tolerate: Drought, Black Walnut
Culture
Easily grown in average, medium moisture, well-drained soils in sun to part shade. Tolerates a wide range of soils and soil conditions, except for wet ones. Good tolerance for urban conditions. The species can be propagate by cuttings or seed.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Euonymus bungeanus, commonly called spindletree, is a dense, woody-stemmed, semi-evergreen to deciduous small tree or shrub that grows to 15-24’ tall and to 10-15’ wide with slender pendulous branching. Inconspicuous, yellowish-green flowers with purple anthers bloom in small cymes in mid-spring (May). Flowers give way to spherical, 4-lobed, yellowish-pink capsules (1/2” across) with white seeds having orange arils. Elliptic-ovate, finely serrate, long acuminate, pale green leaves (to 4” long) turn yellow and pink in fall.
Genus name is an ancient Greek name referring to plants of this genus.
Specific epithet honors Russian botanist Alexander von Bunge (1803-1890).
Problems
Euonymus scale can be a significant problem and should be treated if it appears. Anthracnose, crown gall, leaf spot, mildew and aphids can also be problems.
Uses
Group or mass. Shrub borders, informal hedge/screen. Foundations.