The Spindle Family
What are they?
The spindles are a group of woody trees and shrubs that are temperate zone members of the Celastraceae, a family that is most common in tropical parts of the world. Sindles are a varied group and contain both deciduous and evergreen species that can look very different to each other. However, their very distinctive fruits can be a useful identification feature to get you to the right family.
Where are they found?
Our one, native species is found in open woodland and on woodland edge and old hedgerows, typically on chalky soil. It is also widely used in mixed hedgerows throughout the region which masks its true native status. Japanese Spindle is widely planted in churchyards and cemeteries as well as in parks and as hedging in urban and coastal regions.
Identification
The two species found in our region are readily told apart as one is deciduous and the other is evergreen. The structure of their flowers and fruits separates them from other plant groups.
European Spindle Euonymus europaeus
A common native shrub of chalky and clayey soils, but also widely planted in new hedgerows, masking its true, native range. Flowers April to June. A deciduous shrub or small tree to 8m in height. Seeds are covered in an orange coating called an aril and are carried in groups of four in pink or red capsules. Young stems are distinctly angled, green and with bark-like ridges on the angles.
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Japanese Spindle Euonymus japonicus
Introduced from East Asia as a garden ornamental and very widely planted in gardens, cemeteries and for hedging, especially near the coast. Flowers May to June. An evergreen shrub to 6m in height. Leaves shining, dark green with neatly crenate margins. Fruits and flowers similar to those of European Spindle. Also occurs in in yellow-leaved or variegated forms but these often revert to wholly green over time.
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Climbing Spindle Euonymus fortunei
Originally introduced from East Asia as a garden ornamental with many cultivated forms developed after that. Widely used in amenity plantings in its vareigated forms and sometimes found as a garden throw-out or relic of cultivation. Flowers May to July. A highly variable plant in cultivation and thus difficult to fully describe in all of its forms. Naturally, this is an evergreen shrub to 2m in height. It differs from Japanese Spindle in being overall smaller with slightly narrower leaves 1-2.5cm wide and which have more sharply crenate-serrate margins. Most plants in cultivation are much smaller, variegated forms, though these can revert to green over time if not tended.
Note: the English name for this species is misleading as the name originates in the USA, where a climbing or creeping form (var. radicans) is popular for landscaping but is rarely seen in the UK, where the shrubby forms are preferred.
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