Euonymus japonicus Bravo - Japanese Spindle

The Euonymus japonicus 'Bravo' is a particularly elegant variety of Japanese Spindle, with beautiful evergreen foliage variegated with green and white-cream, which brings life to the garden throughout the year, even in winter. With a bushy and compact habit, this bush allows for the creation of beautiful free hedges and bright backgrounds for flower beds! It can be grown in the ground or in containers, in full sun or partial shade, in any ordinary soil, even limestone, as long as it remains moist.

The Japanese Spindle belongs to the Celastraceae family. It is native, as its name suggests, to Japan. But it is also found in China and Korea. In nature, this large bush grows on slopes, in open areas on the edge of forests, and even by the seaside where it can reach a height of 8m (26 ft 2 in) and become a tree. It has a hardiness of around -12°C (10.4 °F) and its growth rate is quite slow. The 'Bravo' cultivar, with a more compact development, is also characterised by its small green leaves irregularly margined with white-cream. In our gardens, it will reach an average height of 2m (6 ft 7 in) with a spread of 1.50m, possibly more if not regularly pruned. Its habit is naturally dense and bushy, rather rounded. Well-branched from the base, its upright branches bear dense foliage, composed of shiny, leathery, and rigid leaves, dark green with irregular cream to very pale yellow margins. They are oval-shaped, 3 to 5cm (1.2 to 2 in) long, finely toothed along the edges. Inconspicuous flowering occurs in May-June, at the tips of the young shoots. Tiny white-greenish flowers with 4 petals are clustered together. They are pollinated by insects and are followed by the formation of small green fruits that turn pink and orange in autumn, hanging under the branches.

Euonymus japonicus 'Bravo' is valuable for creating medium-sized persistent hedges, whether free-form or occasionally trimmed. It can also be used in flower beds, contrasting with bronze fennel, barberries, or even bush or ground-cover roses. The Bravo Japanese Spindle is a versatile plant that can enhance flower beds with its variegated foliage, especially in semi-shaded areas of the garden. It is well-suited for coastal regions and urban parks. It is often used to create hedges along pathways or property boundaries to protect from wind and prying eyes. Additionally, it can be easily cultivated in containers and placed on terraces or balconies.