Winged euonymus , colloquially known as a burning bush, turns red in autumn and takes on fiery colors. In winter, it is decorated with winged corky shoots of this plant.The cultivation of winged euonymusis possible both in the garden and in a pot on the terrace. Find out more about its requirements, how toreproduce winged euonymusand learn how tocutting this species of euonymusto get a nice, shapely bush.
Winged euonymus - Euonymus alatus
Fig. AnRo0002, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons
Winged euonymus(Euonymus alatus) is an ornamental deciduous shrub recommended for planting in home gardens and among public green spaces. It is the third common species of euonymus, which, like the common euonymus and Fortune's euonymus, is gaining more and more popularity among gardeners.
Winged euonymus grows up to 3 m tall, taking on a sprawling habit. One of the most popular varieties isWinged Euonymus 'Compactus'It grows up to 1 m tall at a rather slow pace. Its leaves change color to various shades of red. Numerousvarieties of winged euonymuswill allow you to find a place for this interesting shrub in every garden. You can meet varieties reaching a height of 60 cm, with a spherical shape or decorative leaves.
Although in winterwinged euonymussheds its leaves, its shoots still look impressive. They are covered with characteristic cork-like wings, the so-calledwith a cork strip. This shrub blooms at the turn of May and June. However, it presents its greatest advantages in autumn, when it turns dark red. During the fruiting period, its original pink fruit-capsules burst and reveal orange seeds. Birds eagerly eat arils. But beware - these seeds are very poisonous to humans!
Beautiful autumn color of the winged euonymus
Fig. pixabay.com
Winged euonymus - cultivation
Growing winged euonymusis easy and will not cause us any problems, and at the same time this plant will fit perfectly into many garden compositions. Winged euonymus prefers sunny locations. Its leaves will get the best color in full sun. It will be satisfied with dry to fresh, permeable soil, slightly acidic to alkaline.
Winged euonymusis undemanding, resistant to drought, frost and air pollution, thanks to which it grows well in cities.It responds well to cutting, so it works well as a hedge. Inthe cultivation of winged euonymuscan be limited to seasonal maintenance cuts and fertilization with compound fertilizer at the beginning of the growing season.
Winged euonymus - reproduction
Winged euonymus is propagatedvegetatively by means of shoot cuttings. The resultingseedlings of the winged euonymuscan be used to plant e.g. a hedge.Propagation of the winged euonymusinvolves cutting a 10 cm long cuttings from well-wooded shoots with a heel or a piece of 2-year-old wood. The seedlings are best picked in August. Then we plant the euonymus seedling on the inspection in a mixture of sand and peat (in a 1: 1 ratio). The seedling can be additionally soaked in the rooting agent (IBA) before planting. For the winter, leaveeuonymus seedlingsin a cold inspection at 10 ° C until planting in a permanent place in spring.
Winged euonymus contrasts with other plants in the bed
Fig. Edyta1203, forum.PoradnikOgrodniczy.pl,
Winged euonymus - cut
Winged euonymus cuts very wellUsually, however, you can do without trimming, because the winged euonymus does not grow excessively. Pruning euonymus is recommended mainly for young shrubs in order to form and thicken the bush.
Trimming to form a winged euonymusis carried out in the spring in the first year of cultivation (immediately after planting or in the next spring for shrubs planted in the fall), shortening all strong and he althy shoots by 1/3 of their length. Remove weak and damaged shoots completely. It is worth making a similar cut for the next 2 years. The bush should thicken enough that no further cuts will be needed.
In older shrubs, where the crown becomes excessively thickened, it is worth carrying outrejuvenating the winged euonymus For this purpose, 1-3 oldest shoots are cut in spring and all twigs damaged, broken, overlapping and crossing each other.
More pruning will be required for a winged euonymus hedgeTo obtain a regular, dense and easy-to-maintain hedge, euonymus is cut twice a year - first in spring (at the end of March) and then in June. Once the hedge has reached its target height, you only need to trim it once a year in the spring.
MSc Eng. Joanna Białowąs
