The Spindles
What are they?
Most of the spindles are woody shrubs but some are rather thin and straggly and act almost like ramblers. The family includes both deciduous and evergreen species, with many variegated-leaved forms of the evergreen species being popular as garden ornamentals.
Where are they found?
Native species are understorey shrubs in woodland, while non-native species can be found in any suburban area, abandoned lot or other untended sites.
Identification
Spindles generally have green stems, often with ridges which give them a squared cross-section. Some species have woody 'wings' on the stems. The peculiar berries, which split to reveal colored seeds inside are typical of the family and are shared with the closely-related bittersweet-vines.
American Spindle Euonymus americanus
(American Strawberry-bush) A common understorey plant in deciduous woodland, usually in wetter soils. Flowers May to June. An unusual plant which spends several years as a thin, straggly set of twigs spreading on the forest floor. It eventually sends up vertical shoots but never becomes a substantial bush. Flowers have five petals.
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against the leaf |
from a red case |
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| ridged corners |
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European Spindle Euonymus europaeus
Introduced as a garden plant from Europe and occasionally persisting in hedgelines and on roadsides. Flowers May to June.
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ridged corners |
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Winged Spindle Euonymus alatus
Introduced as a garden plant from Asia for its spectacular fall color. Common as a garden plant in Cape May and occasionally found in open woodland. Flowers May to June. A thickly-branched small to medium-sized bush which has the potential to become an invasive problem if left unchecked. Flowers have four petals.
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| winged ridges |
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Climbing Spindle Euonymus fortunei
(Wintercreeper) Introduced as a garden plant from Asia and occasionally found on abandoned garden sites or where garden refuse has been dumped. Flowers in summer but rather small and insignificant and the plant is mostly grown for its evergreen leaves. Though occasionally found as a weak climber, this plant is more often found as a low, struggly sub-shrub or as groundcover and it can become invasive.
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Japanese Spindle Euonymus japonicus
A fairly common evergreen garden shrub which is probably not fully established in the region but which occurs here and there as a relic of cultivation. Flowers late June to July. Usually grown in gardens as a yellow-variegated form (form 'Aureus') which reverts rapidly to plain green if not tended carefully.
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variegated form |