euonymus alatus

Euonymus alatus grown

Today we are going to talk about a type of shrub that will give us a new renewal of colors when autumn arrives. Its about euonymus alatus. Among their common names we find winged bonnet, winged spindle, and burning bush. Their names are mainly due to the strong color of the leaves that it has. It is perfect for garden decoration giving it an exotic touch and is highly appreciated by the gardening community.

In this article we are going to explain in detail how you should take care of the euonymus alatus and all its features.

Key features

euonymus alatus

The main advantage that this shrub offers us is that, when autumn arrives, the garden begins to look a little duller due to the fall of the leaves and the end of flowering. There are some species of plants that do bloom in autumn, but it is not so common. This bush It offers us a typical autumn color with quite pleasant tones. It is a deciduous shrub and, unlike other more well-known shrubs, it does not have summer as a time when it can look good.

In a garden, we like to have different types of plants and shrubs that give different shades so as not to make everything the same color or something very monotonous. For this purpose, the winged bonnet is perfect. The most abundant species in which we usually fixate are those whose flowering stands out for being strong.

This shrub is native to East Asia (mainly Japan) and It is capable of reaching two meters in height and three meters in width if the conditions of their care are ideal. It uses insects to pollinate its flowers that have hermaphroditic reproductive units. Its leaves are deciduous and perfect for decoration due to their strong color.

As we know, in autumn deciduous plants tend to turn brown, yellowish and even reddish colors that give feelings of nostalgia. This shrub has intense red leaves when autumn arrives, making them get a good mix with other species that have them brownish or yellow. We can have that autumn color combination in our garden.

Description

Winged Bonnet Blades

In the lower part of the branches that have grown during the same year we find some cyymos inflorescences. They are made up of very small clusters with only 3 or 5 hermaphrodite-type florets. These flowers are insignificant and do not add much aesthetic aspect. It is the leaves that give color and decoration to your garden. Flowering takes place in late spring and early summer. However, it is not at all expected from what we have commented.

Fall is the golden time for the euonymus alatus. Apart from the fact that the leaves turn a red color that favors the contrast of colors and makes us remember things, the fruits also appear at this time. The bark of the shrub is quite attractive and the most commonly used variety is Euonymus alatus 'Compactus'. This is because it is preferred to have a bonsai-style shrub that does not take up as much space in the garden, but that fulfills the color contrast functions that we need for the fall season.

It belongs to the Celastraceae family and, although it is not so well known, it is due to our lower latitudes. This winged bonnet is one of the few species within its genus that can live in temperate climates, being native to Japan.

Euonymus alatus care

Climate, exposure and irrigation

Decoration with Euonymus alatus

This shrub is resistant to numerous meteorological phenomena and the most adverse atmospheric conditions. Therefore, it is a very good option for those climates where we have more unstable weather more often. It is able to withstand winter frosts down to -20 degrees. With this margin you will be able to live without problems in our peninsula, since these temperatures will never occur.

On the other hand, it is also resistant to conditions that do occur frequently in Spain, such as drought and wind. It will need direct sun exposure although it can also grow in semi-shade without problems. Its growth is quite slow. If we want to speed it up a bit, it is necessary that it has more exposure to sunlight at all times. In this way we are guaranteeing that its development is greater and that it will not lack any nutrient.

The summer heats of our peninsula, especially in Andalusia, may be somewhat excessive for the species. It is better to have summers that are not so hot and something cooler.

Regarding irrigation, we have commented that the drought holds it quite well, so we should not worry excessively about it. We can plant it both in the garden and in large pots for terraces. For flowerpots, it is more convenient to have the «compactus» variety that takes up less space.

If we sow it in the garden, it will hardly require watering, and more if the climate has abundant rainfall. If we put it in pots, it is possible that, from time to time, it needs some watering.

Soil, fertilizer and pruning

Plant contrast with Euonymus alatus

Another advantage of the winged bonnet is that it is not picky about the type of soil in which it is growing. All it asks is that it have good drainage. That is, we do not accumulate water when we are watering. Otherwise, the roots can rot and we will kill the plant. It is capable of supporting both acidic, neutral and alkaline soils to a certain extent. The pH range is quite wide, so we hardly have to worry.

If our soil is more limestone, it may suffer from iron chlorosis, although it can grow well. To alleviate this problem we will treat it with iron chelates.

As for pruning, it is not at all advisable. It is so attractive and does its job naturally that it does not need maintenance. If we do pruning, it can be harmful since they will even grow deformed. Pruning should be done in extreme cases where it suffers from being knocked over by the wind or another serious problem occurs.

I hope that with this information you can enjoy your Euonymus alatus.


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