Euonymus alatus Blade Runner

Euonymus alatus 'Blade Runner' is a variety of Compact Winged Euonymus, naturally quite rounded. This deciduous shrub is particularly attractive for the vibrant colouration of its autumn foliage, a bright scarlet red that is eye-catching in the garden. The falling leaves reveal its original and ornamental branches, adorned with corky strips resembling thin wings. Stunning as a specimen, it can also be used to create spectacular hedges at the end of the season and integrates perfectly into mixed borders.

Euonymus, or Winged Euonymus, is a member of the Celastraceae family, of which we find few other representatives in our gardens, except sometimes the Oriental Bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus), while it includes about 80 genera and 850 species. Euonymus alatus grows naturally in northeastern Asia, central China, and Japan, where it forms a small,1 to 3 m tall bush with a rounded habit and spreading branches. Its branches, equipped with 2 to 4 corky wings, give it its species name alatus (winged) and it is decorative with its red fruits and orange seeds and especially with its autumn colours ranging from scarlet pink to purple. This Euonymus was introduced to Europe around 1860.
Euonymus alatus 'Blade Runner' is an improvement of the botanical species, distinguished by its denser and more branched growth. Its spreading and almost spherical habit, more or less irregular, allows it to be easily pruned into a ball shape, or you can leave it in its natural, wild silhouette. It is relatively slow-growing and will reach about 1.50 m in all directions after about ten years, typically reaching 1.80 m at maturity. The slender branches are erect at the base, then spreading to form a cup shape and arching at their tips. They are green, especially when young, adorned with corky strips approximately 5 to 6 mm wide and very narrow, running along the entire length of the branch. In winter, when the leaves have fallen, they give the plant an intriguing, ornamental appearance.
The leaves of this Euonymus are elliptical to obovate, with a pointed tip, and measure 3 to 5 cm long. They are dark green, borne on short petioles and naturally curve downwards, giving this shrub a very recognizable appearance. In spring, in May-June, small yellowish-green flowers appear, grouped in clusters of 3 or 4, without ornamental interest. However, they are followed by the classic decorative fruits in the Euonymus genus, deep purple-red with an orange central aril. The aril is a fleshy covering that surrounds the seed, which is toxic if ingested, so be careful! In autumn, the foliage changes from dark green to bright scarlet red, sometimes passing through a flaming dark pink, and classifies this Euonymus in the group of shrubs with the most beautiful autumn colours.

Easy to grow and virtually maintenance-free, the 'Blade Runner' Euonymus deserves a place in all gardens, as the spectacle it offers in autumn is magnificent. Its compact habit allows it to be easily integrated into a border or a mixed hedge. Create an incredible scene by planting it at the base of a Ginkgo biloba 'Horizontalis', the Maidenhair Tree in its tabular form, slightly trailing. In autumn, its golden yellow foliage will create a striking contrast with the vibrant red of the Euonymus. For strong contrasts without waiting for autumn, choose Cercis canadensis 'Eternal Flame'. This Eastern Redbud with its lovely heart-shaped leaves starts its growth in bright red tones, gradually turning orange and yellow before finally green. Early in the season, before the flowers appear, it will reward you with charming pink flowers directly on the bare wood. And to complete your border, if you have a little space left, plant an Amber Beauty Manchurian Cherry that will enchant you all year round. Its delicate and fragrant white spring flowers turn into small black fruits, its green foliage turns golden yellow in autumn, and in winter, its magnificent ornamental orange bark can be admired.