Plant Guide with Characteristics, Classification, and other detailed information

Plant Guide

Euonymus bungeanus Maxim.
winterberry euonymus

Kingdom Plantae -- Plants

Subkingdom Tracheobionta -- Vascular plants

Superdivision Spermatophyta -- Seed plants

Division Magnoliophyta -- Flowering plants

Class Magnoliopsida -- Dicotyledons

Subclass Rosidae

Order Celastrales

Family Celastraceae -- Bittersweet family

Genus Euonymus L. -- spindletree P

Species Euonymus bungeanus Maxim. -- winterberry euonymus P

SYNONYM INFORMATION

Euonymus bungeanum Maxim. [orthographic variant]

EUBU6 (=EUBU5)
Cultivar: Pink-Lady

Summary
Duration	Perennial
Growth Habit	Shrub, Tree
U.S. Nativity	Introduced to U.S.
Federal T/E Status
National Wetland Indicator

Morphology/Physiology
Active Growth Period	Spring and Summer
After Harvest Regrowth Rate
Bloat	None
C:N Ratio	High
Coppice Potential	No
Fall Conspicuous	Yes
Fire Resistant	No
Flower Color	Red
Flower Conspicuous	Yes
Foliage Color	Green
Foliage Porosity Summer	Dense
Foliage Porosity Winter	Moderate
Foliage Texture	Medium
Fruit/Seed Color	Red
Fruit/Seed Conspicuous	Yes
Growth Form	Single Stem
Growth Rate	Rapid
Height at 20 Years, Maximum (feet)	20
Height, Mature (feet)	24.0
Known Allelopath	No
Leaf Retention	No
Lifespan	Moderate
Low Growing Grass	No
Nitrogen Fixation	None
Resprout Ability	Yes
Shape and Orientation	Erect
Toxicity	None

Growth Requirements
Adapted to Coarse Textured Soils	Yes
Adapted to Fine Textured Soils	Yes
Adapted to Medium Textured Soils	Yes
Anaerobic Tolerance	None
CaCO3 Tolerance	Low
Cold Stratification Required	Yes
Drought Tolerance	Medium
Fertility Requirement	Medium
Fire Tolerance	Medium
Frost Free Days, Minimum	100
Hedge Tolerance	Medium
Moisture Use	Medium
pH, Minimum	5.0
pH, Maximum	7.5
Planting Density per Acre, Minimum	700
Planting Density per Acre, Maximum	1200
Precipitation, Minimum	14
Precipitation, Maximum	40
Root Depth, Minimum (inches)	20
Salinity Tolerance	None
Shade Tolerance	Intolerant
Temperature, Minimum (°F)	-28

Reproduction
Bloom Period	Mid Spring
Commercial Availability	Routinely Available
Fruit/Seed Abundance	High
Fruit/Seed Period Begin	Summer
Fruit/Seed Period End	Fall
Fruit/Seed Persistence	Yes
Propagated by Bare Root	Yes
Propagated by Bulb	No
Propagated by Container	Yes
Propagated by Corm	No
Propagated by Cuttings	No
Propagated by Seed	Yes
Propagated by Sod	No
Propagated by Sprigs	No
Propagated by Tubers	No
Seed per Pound	13500
Seed Spread Rate	Slow
Seedling Vigor	Medium
Small Grain	No
Vegetative Spread Rate	None

Suitability/Use
Berry/Nut/Seed Product	No
Christmas Tree Product	No
Fodder Product	No
Fuelwood Product
Lumber Product	No
Naval Store Product	No
Nursery Stock Product	Yes
Palatable Browse Animal	Medium
Palatable Graze Animal
Palatable Human	No
Post Product	No
Protein Potential
Pulpwood Product	No
Veneer Product	No

Uses

Erosion control: This plant can be used alone, in clumps, in single rows or in multiple rows for windbreaks. It is used on erodible sites for soil stabilization.

Wildlife: Winterberry euonymus provides desirable habitat for game and songbirds throughout the year.

Landscape: This plant can be used as a living screen, noise barrier, enhancement of transportation corridors, around campgrounds, and in urban and industrial developments.

Status

Please consult the PLANTS Web site and your State Department of Natural Resources for this plant’s current status (e.g. threatened or endangered species, state noxious status, and wetland indicator values).

Weediness

This plant may become weedy or invasive in some regions or habitats and may displace desirable vegetation if not properly managed. Please consult with your local NRCS Field Office, Cooperative Extension Service office, or state natural resource or agriculture department regarding its status and use. Weed information is also available from the PLANTS Web site at plants.usda.gov.

Description

Euonymus bungeanum Maxim., winterberry euonymus, is a long-lived, deciduous shrub that grows to a height and spread of 15 to 25 feet. The shrub is usually multiple-stemmed at or near the large base.

The light-green leaves are bright and shiny when they are small. They grow rapidly to a length of 2 to 4 inches. Slender petioles cause the older leaves to droop. The foliage is rather open, so that the light brown bark of the older branches adds contrast to the light-green leaves. Fall leaf color ranges from yellow to reddish or brown.

The flowers are inconspicuous, but the fruits are brilliant red. They are 4-lobed capsules, some of which often remain on the plants after the leaves have fallen. As the capsules open, the brilliant red coats of the seeds are exposed.

Adaptation and Distribution

It is a winter-hardy shrub that is adapted to a wide range of soil and climatic conditions. It is adapted from the low elevation of the mountains to the open plains. It has been widely tested and evaluated in Kansas, Oklahoma, northern Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, and portions of Nebraska.

For a current distribution map, please consult the Plant Profile page for this species on the PLANTS Website.

Establishment

Plants may be grown from recently harvested open-pollinated seed. Seed should be either fall-planted or stratified for spring planting. For field establishment, 2 year old bare root plants can be used under favorable conditions. Potted material has been more successful on difficult sites such as roadsides. All planted area must be weed free to allow for plant establishment and growth.

Management

Care should be taken to control unwanted vegetation in areas planted with winterberry euonymus.

Pests and Potential Problems

This plant has no serious pests.

Cultivars, Improved, and Selected Materials (and area of origin)

‘Pink Lady’ (China). Seed and plants are available from most commercial growers in the western half of the United States.

Prepared By & Species Coordinator:

USDA NRCS Plant Materials Program

Edited: 01Feb2002 JLK; 06jun06 jsp

For more information about this and other plants, please contact your local NRCS field office or Conservation District, and visit the PLANTS Web site<https://plants.usda.gov> or the Plant Materials Program Web site <https://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov>

Attribution: U.S. Department of Agriculture