There are several kinds of spindle trees used as decorative shrubs and small trees in gardens. Some kinds, including the native spindle tree, have showy fruits and good autumn colour before the leaves fall.

Another branch of the family, the Japanese spindles, are evergreen and offer a completely different ornamental value. These offer good, bright leaf colour in winter, especially just as spring comes calling.

While the basic species is just plain green, there are lots of variegated variants in gold and white.

The case can be made that too much variegated foliage looks gaudy and out of keeping with nature. This can be true, but it is a problem not caused by individual plants, which have their own merits, but by choosing too many variegated plants and placing them badly.

Used to a limited extent and placed well, these plants can bring a hint of gold or silver to a dull garden. There are two main kinds of Japanese spindle: one tall and the other quite small.

tall spindles

The taller kind is Euonymus japonicus, which makes a large bush or small tree to about four metres tall and half as wide. This bush is seen both as plain green and coloured forms. The coloured kinds are much more popular, as they are brighter than the dark green plain original.

However, this green form has its own value for its solid greenery and for its outstanding resistance to salty gales. The leaves are tough and leathery and wax-surfaced, so seaside winds do not bother them.

The coloured kinds are robust too, just not as much so, because they lack the vigour of the greener plant. There are various forms of variegation. ‘Albomarginatus’ has leaves with a narrow white margin. ‘Aureus’ has yellow at the centre of the leaves and sometimes whole leaves turn yellow.

‘Ovatus Aureus’ has broad golden margins to the leaves. Used mainly by the seaside, this spindle is not completely hardy in cold areas, and can suffer some superficial frost damage, which soon grows out again.

Small spindles

By contrast, the small Japanese spindle is much more hardy. The smaller species is Euonymus fortunei, which makes a low, spreading bush. Forms of this species are widely used in gardens and in commercial landscaping at hotels, offices and the like.

The best-known is ‘Emerald ‘n’ Gold’ with green leaves margined with golden-yellow. It generally does not get taller than 90cm or so. The white-variegated ‘Silver Queen’ has larger leaves and grows a bit taller. ‘Emerald Gaiety’ has white variegation on smaller leaves. ‘Winter Creeper’ is gold and has a more creeping, flattened appearance. ‘Harlequin’ has a white-splashed effect, notably on the leaves at the tips of the shoots. ‘Minimus’ has small green leaves and could be mistaken for clipped box.

The smaller Japanese euonymus is naturally bushy and can be lightly clipped to keep it low, or more heavily clipped to from globe-shapes or blocks. Most kinds can be trained as wall plants, tied to wires and used to brighten a dull wall.

In the open garden, take care to plant nearby plenty of contrasting bare branches or green foliage. The gold looks well with yellow daffodils and a show of blue such as muscari nearby.

White variegation looks well with white flowers or purple shades. Euonymus is easy to grow in any ordinary garden soil that is not too heavy.

They can tolerate quite a lot of shade but tend not to colour as well if too shaded. Planting can be done at any time. CL