Euonymus japonicus Président Gauthier - Japanese Spindle

Euonymus japonicus 'Président Gauthier' is perhaps the most beautiful variety of Japanese Spindle with white variegated foliage. It is also the most cold-resistant. With an upright bushy habit and dense growth, this elegant shrub bears large evergreen leaves that are beautifully coloured with green-blue margins of white-cream. Flowering and fruiting, this variety also offers a multitude of pink and orange fruits in the late season, nestled in its variegated foliage. There are plenty of reasons to adopt it in a free hedge, in the background of flower beds or in a container on a terrace, even in cold regions!

Japanese Spindle belongs to the Celastraceae family. It is native, as its name suggests, to Japan. But it can also be found in China and Korea. In the wild, this large bush grows on slopes, in open areas at the edge of forests, and even by the sea where it can become a tree of 8 m (26.2 ft) in height. Its hardiness is around -12° C (10° F), and its growth is quite slow.

'President Gauthier', with a more compact development, is also distinguished by its large leaves with white-cream margins. In our gardens, it will reach an average height of 2 m (6.6 ft) and a width of 1.5 m (4.9 ft), perhaps more if not regularly pruned. Its habit is naturally dense, bushy, and rather upright. Well-branched from the base, its upright branches bear dense foliage composed of glossy, leathery and rigid leaves, green-blue in the centre of the lamina irregularly bordered with cream to white. Over the course of days, the green-blue colour turns to a deeper green. They are oval in shape, measuring 3 cm to 7 cm (1.2 in to 2.8 in) long, and finely toothed along the edges. Discreet but abundant flowering takes place in May-June, at the tips of young shoots. Tiny white-greenish flowers with 4 petals are grouped in clusters. 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 'Président Gauthier' is valuable for creating medium-sized evergreen hedges, whether free or occasionally pruned. It can also be included in shrub beds, playing on contrasts with bronze fennel, purple barberry or even bush roses or ground cover roses. It blends well with other shrubs with dark foliage such as small conifers, boxwood and yew. At the back of the beds, its variegated foliage enhances all flowerings and works wonders in the semi-shaded areas of the garden. Well adapted to coastal areas and urban gardens, Euonymus japonicus 'Président Gauthier' is used to compose hedges along pathways or to surround a bed of roses for example. It adapts well to container cultivation, allowing for elegant and bright green screens on a terrace or balcony.

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