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Shrubs

Euonymus fortunei var. radicans

wintercreeper

A trailing or climbing evergreen shrub, with ovate or elliptic leathery leaves, which are shallowly toothed, mid-green to dark green in colour with pale veining. Inconspicuous pale green flowers in summer, occasionally followed by pink capsules with orange seed

Synonyms

Euonymus radicans

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Ultimate height

0.5–1 metres

Time to ultimate height

5–10 years

Ultimate spread

1–1.5 metres

Chalk

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained, Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full shade
Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

East–facing or North–facing or South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Exposed or Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Celastraceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Trailing, Climbing, Spreading branched
Potentially harmful: Humans/Pets: Harmful if eaten, wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. For further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
Genus: Euonymus can be deciduous or evergreen shrubs or small trees, often with fine autumn colour, and small flowers followed by colourful fruits
Name status: Correct

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in well-drained soil in sun or partial shade, can be grown as ground cover or as a climber, reaching up to 2m when trained, excellent for a shady wall

Propagation

Propagate by semi-ripe cuttings

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Cottage and informal garden
Low Maintenance
Banks and slopes
Climber and wall shrubs
Ground cover

Pruning

Pruning group 8

Pests

May be susceptible to vine weevil, horse chestnut scale, euonymus scale and caterpillars

Diseases

May be susceptible to powdery mildews, a leaf spot and sometimes honey fungus

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