Euonymus fortunei Silverstone - Spindle

The Euonymus fortunei 'Silverstone' is a dwarf spindle tree, with compact and very dense vegetation, remarkable for its young cream-colored leaves at bud break, quickly turning to mottled white with dark green before heavily mottling with green. This small bush with always neat and bright appearance is perfect for rock gardens, pots, borders, low hedges, or as a foreground plant in a shrub bed. Very tolerant of soil and exposure, it does not tolerate dry situations.

Native to Asia and Northern China, Euonymus fortunei is a slow-growing groundcover bush of the family Celastraceae, perfectly hardy and tolerant of limestone in the soil. The variety 'Silverstone' is appreciated for its particularly compact, dense and creeping or even climbing habit, as well as for the beautiful colouration of its foliage. At maturity, this slow-growing cultivar will reach about 30 cm (11.8 in) in all directions. The evergreen, elliptical leaves, 3 to 4 cm (1.2 to 1.6 in) long, serrated, are cream at bud break. Over the weeks, they become speckled with dark green. In spring, insignificant flowering appears on the year's shoots in the form of small clusters of greenish-white flowers. They give way to decorative but non-edible red berries, appreciated by birds.

Euonymus fortunei 'Silverstone' grows in any well-drained soil, in a non-arid situation, preferably semi-shaded. Pruning is unnecessary, it is better to pinch out the young plants to promote branching and only remove dead or diseased wood. It can be used in pots or containers on a terrace, in a rock garden or border, and even to highlight the curve of a path or the steps of a staircase, or to cover the slope of a retaining wall. It offers a good alternative to boxwood thanks to its good disease resistance. It is useful for greening a wall, without becoming uncontrollable. Pair it with other sturdy ground cover plants such as Walsteinia ternata, Bergenia, creeping cotoneasters, or other varieties of variegated leaf spindle trees.

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