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Japanese Euonymus
A landscape feature of many warmer areas of the United States includes broadleaved evergreen plants. These can add a tropical feel to the landscape as well as add winter interest. Because of this many desire to use many of these evergreens in local landscapes. Unfortunately, most do not perform well or grow here at all due to our cold climate, alkaline soils and aridity. However, there are a few options for warmer areas of Northern Utah where a few species perform reasonably well when properly situated. One of these is Japanese Euonymus.
The species is native to China, Korea and Japan, and it generally tolerates Utah soils. It has a moderate growth rate and reaches anywhere from a few feet to 10 feet high and wide. It is hardy to USDA Zone 6 or 7. This means they grow in areas where the average minimum temperature stays above -5 to 0 degrees F. With this, every so often, Japanese euonymus and other broadleaved evergreens are damaged by extremely cold temperatures, but the euonymus generally recover within a few seasons.
Because of their marginal hardiness, an important consideration is that all broadleaved evergreens including Japanese Euonymus require protection from winter sun. When planted in excessively sunny locations, the winter sun heats the leaves, water evaporates out of the leaves and is not replaced because the soil is usually frozen and roots cannot uptake more water. This causes leaf scorch and possible eventual death. To avoid this, plant Japanese euonymus on the north or east sides of structures or other locations that receive afternoon shade. Placing a 2-3 inch layer of mulch around the roots is also beneficial.
Japanese Euonymus in the landscape accessible to deer is the equivalent of having a Baskin Robbins in the back yard for humans.
Common variegated cultivars include Chollipo, Sliver King, Aureo-marginata, Aureo-variegata, Golden and Gold Spot. Greenspire has a very narrow habit but is often split out by winter snow unless it is placed under the eaves on the edges of buildings. Boxleaf euonymus is dwarf and looks somewhat similar to boxwood. However, boxwood is almost always preferable to it due to box-leaf euonymus is generally awimpy plant in the Utah climate.
