Monday, October 6, 2008

Euonymus alatus 'Compactus'

I have not believed it until I saw in our own garden that this is the real autumn color of this shrub.

This is how it begins.

Euonymus alatus 'Compactus'This is another shrub which has just started to turn in red. This one has already developed to full hight; in the future it will only get larger. The ones on sale are usually one meter high, but as you can see on the picture, it will develop higher, one and half or – according to some pages – two meters. The width of a fully developed shrub is between one and half and two meters, too. (You have to keep an eye on what you buy, because the basic species is twice as great.

Euonymus alatus 'Compactus'It is particularly beautiful with Miscanthus and Pennisetum.

Euonymus alatus 'Compactus'It is also well accompanied with hosta, barberry, cotoneaster and cherry laurel. It is often used in Japanese gardens. It tolerates surprisingly much shade, although it becomes coloured much later if planted in shade. As to the soil, it has no special demands, and resistant to aridity – but it will not suffer the hottest (30ºC+) weeks of our summer without proper watering.

Euonymus alatus 'Compactus'Now, in the autumn you can buy it in many places. Before you buy it in the chic garden centers, you should also check it in the more popular nurseries. I for example purchased the above great one for about twelve euros in the Zöldkirály Nursery one or two years ago, while in the New Garden center they sold smaller ones for about seventy in the same time.

4 comments:

Anne Marie said...

Yonaput! Beautiful....just beautiful pictures!

James Golden said...

Euonymus alatus is considered to be invasive in our area of New Jersey and throughout North America. The woods around my house are full of it (also a lot of Japanese barberry). I does have amazing autumn color.

That said, I have several 12-foot-tall Euonymous alatus along one side of the front of my house. I believe they were planted about 40 years ago, and I don't have the heart to tear them out. Perhaps one day I will, but they will need to be replaced with other large shrubs, which will be costly.

The euonymus is so prevalent in the surrounding area, I believe the sources of seeds must be many, not just my planting, so I use that argument to try to justify keeping mine.

Templom Kata said...

Szép jónapot Annuska!
I'm so happy that you've been here. I liked very much the composition of pumpkins and Sedums on your page.
Sammy - so lovely - was a newfoundlander dog? We have three newfoundlanders, and one of them, Burkus is very ill. We try to get used to the idea that we will have to lose him. It is very hard.
It was a great joy to have visited you again. With love, Kata

Templom Kata said...

Dear James!

At us only Euonymus europaeus is native, the Alatus is only sold in nurseries. This is the reason why this latter is more appreciated, and in my opinion it also has a more beautiful structure of branches. But the Europaeus is also very nice. It is one of those plants that link our garden and the forest. I think it is rather invasive, but at us it lives in so hard circumstances that it behaves well.
I like it how in America they pay attention to the invasivity of the plants. I have noticed for example that some plants are not sold in nurseries for this reason, and this is quite correct so. But one does not have to exaggerate like the Chinese who, during the Cultural Revolution, killed all sparrows in Beijing. Some Euonymus alatus around the house will certainly not spoil the nature.

Here we have a wonderful Indian summer. I hope your autumn is beautiful as well.

Kata