Euonymus fortunei Golden Harlequin - Spindle

The Euonymus fortunei 'Golden Harlequin' is a wonderful dwarf spindle bush, with a compact and very dense growth, remarkable for its evergreen leaves speckled with dark green, ivory white, and golden hues. This small bush, always neat and bright, is perfect for rockeries, containers, borders, low hedges, or as a foreground plant in a shrub bed. It is very tolerant of soil and exposure, although it does not tolerate dry conditions.

Native to Asia and northern China, the Euonymus fortunei is a ground-covering bush of the family Celastraceae, with a rather slow growth, perfectly hardy, and tolerant of limestone in the soil.

The variety 'Golden Harlequin' was selected in the Netherlands by Boomkwekerij Bolwijn vof. It is appreciated for its particularly compact, dense, and trailing or even climbing habit, as well as for the beautiful colouring of its foliage. At maturity, this slow-growing cultivar will reach about 30 cm (11.8 in) in all directions. The evergreen leaves, elliptical and 3 to 4 cm (1.2 to 1.6 in) long, with serrated edges, are pale green with ivory white centre, speckled with dark green and golden yellow. In spring, inconspicuous flowers in small greenish-white clusters appear on the current year's growth. They are followed by decorative but non-edible red berries, enjoyed by birds.

The Euonymus fortunei 'Golden Harlequin' grows in well-drained soil, in non-arid conditions, preferably semi-shaded. Pruning is unnecessary, it is better to pinch the young plants to encourage branching and only remove dead or diseased wood. It can be used in pots or containers on a terrace, in rockeries or as a border plant, and even to highlight the curve of a path or the steps of a staircase. It offers a good alternative to boxwood thanks to its good resistance to diseases. It is ideal for greening a wall without becoming uncontrollable. Pair it with other robust ground-covering plants, such as Waldsteinia ternata, Bergenia, creeping cotoneasters, or other varieties of variegated spindle bushes.

Tip: In case of drought, water to maintain beautiful foliage.