I was at the nursery looking for a good wall cover and this little fellow caught my eye. The nursery guy said that it's called a euonymus but didn't know which type. He said that it'll do the job of covering my 10 ft wall but would take a few years to get there. I googled the plant and in the pictures, it appears to be a small to medium size growing shrub. Not something that would hide my wall but of course perhaps this variety may. Idk. Did i make a mistake buying this plant? I live in a semi arid climate with a south facing wall that gets sun all day.
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3 Answers
It is most probably Euonymus japonicus 'Aureus'. There are a number of similar looking cultivars so exact identification is difficult. The yellow is confined to the centre of the leaves whereas it is on the edges in most other cultivars. Euonymus fortunei cvs. have more rounded, less strongly dentate leaves and a less vertical habit.
answered Apr 9, 2019 at 11:46
Well it's a nice shrub, but I'm not sure its appropriate to cover a wall in a sunny, hot and arid area. As mentioned, this particular one is Euonymus japonicus aureus, previously called E. 'aureopictus' and sometimes still known as E. 'luna'. These grow really well in the temperate, maritime climate of the UK, are upright and dense growing, reaching eventually about 7-8 (or more) feet tall and about the same wide,though always with a roughly pyramidal shape, and usually end up being clipped or shaped to keep them in check. Can also be used for hedging, so planting more than one in front of your wall, spaced 5 feet apart and planted 3 feet from the wall, would likely create a hedge like dense wall of foliage after a few years. If, that is, it will tolerate the weather where you are, which it may well not - I don't think where you are could be described as a temperate zone climate, but I'm not certain. Here, they do well in partial shade, and in soil that is well drained but which does not frequently dry out (meaning regular rainfall). https://www.shootgardening.co.uk/plant/euonymus-japonicus-aureus
If your winter temperatures don't get very low, then shrubs from within the Proteaceae family might be better suited, such as Banksia, Protea, Leucadendron, Leucospermum and Grevillea varieties, though some may not have varieties large enough for your purposes - many of these are native to South Africa or native/endemic in Australia, Info for Grevillea here https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grevillea
I agree with Bamboo...this will not cover a 10 ft wall like I think you are thinking. We are assuming a 10' concrete? wall? Foundation? What is the exposure, your planting zone, the micro environment?
There are many vines that will easily cover a 10' wall. Your Euonymus shrub(s)will not be a waste. Plant at least 4 or 5 of these plants at least 4 feet away from your wall, plant them offset forward, back, forward back 3' spacing. 5 plants in an offset informal configuration will make a nice soft 3' hedge 10 to 12' long of this particular plant.
Plant your chosen vines between wall and this soft informal hedge. Euonymus is TOUGH, non invasive, year round and it can help keep the soil shaded and cool for the roots of your vines you eventually plant.
Vines I know and love that grow well in the same zone as Euonymus japonicus 'Aureus' as a few ideas to look up and get to know before purchase are:
Akebia quincifolia Chocolate vine
Clematis armandii Evergreen Clematis
Pyracantha Fire Thorn Pyracantha wall treatment
Euonymus Winter Creeper wall coverage
Please send a picture of your wall, tell us as much of your expectations as you are able, tell us what zone you live in, what have you tried before, what have you grown successfully in the past?
Pyracantha around windows is super great for security...
