Plant of the Week: Euonymus

If you can get your tongue round the name, Euonymus, you'll be able to astound your friends with your knowledge of botanical Latin (or Greek, which is where, apparently, part of the name derives).
By The Newsroom
Published 5th Nov 2010, 14:22 BST
Updated 5th Nov 2010, 14:22 BST

If you can't be bothered, just grow it because Euonymus fortunei cultivars are the ideal evergreen shrubs with bright, beautiful leaves and attractive growth.

Choose a couple of these and some matching pots to give your patio or front steps an instant eye-catching makeover.

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And they're just as useful and happy in a border. You can even persuade one to grow up a wall, slowly. This range of cultivars bring striking, confident colour even on the dullest winter day.

With names like 'Emerald Gaiety' and 'Emerald 'n' Gold' or 'Silver Queen', you know it's going to be good.

'Emerald Gaiety' has green leaves with white margins that bear pink tinges in winter. It's compact, reaching a height of just about one metre.

Alternatively, go for 'Emerald 'n' Gold', pictured. The gorgeous, deep yellow margins and green hearts on the leaves of this plant never fail to get noticed.

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But the unmistakable star of the range has got to be 'Silver Queen' with its glossy, dark green leaves and exquisite white margins. Growing to a possible height of 2.5 metres and a width of 1.5 metres, it's a winter treasure.

Euonymus fortunei cultivars not only make your garden look good, they are easy to grow. They will cope quite happily in poor soil, are tough and can stand winter frosts. They do enjoy full sun – especially if you really want to make the best of the variegation on the leaves.

And they're not particularly difficult to propagate.

YP MAG 6/11/10

Related topics:LatinQueen