The crawling spindle is a true all-round talent and also totally easy to care for. It can be used as ground cover, as a hedge plant or as a climbing plant in the garden.
The creeping spindle (Euonymus fortunei) is a species of the genus Euonymus, native to East Asia. Depending on the variety, it is particularly popular in Europe as an evergreen ground cover, hedge plant, solitary tree or as a climbing plant for greening walls.
Appearance
Creeping spindles produce greenish white to greenish yellow flowers in June and July. The opposite leaves are oval to elliptical in shape. They can take on different shades of green, often interspersed with white or yellowish areas. In autumn, the plants also bear small berries ranging in color from fiery red to bright orange, which are used as food by various bird species.
Growth
The growth of the creeping spindles is extremely varied and depends on the respective cultivar. The possible uses are correspondingly diverse. The creeping spindle 'Emerald'n Gaiety', for example, is only 20 to 60 centimeters high and is very suitable as a flat ground cover or low-growing hedge. The purple creeper 'Coloratus', on the other hand, grows up to 60 centimeters high on surfaces and can also be used as a hedge or ground cover. The variety also cuts a fine figure as a container plant or semi-erect solitary tree. With the appropriate climbing aids, pergolas or even complete house facades can be greened without any problems.
Location and Ground
Creeping spindles are sun-loving plants that will thank you for a bright location with a growth gain of around 20 centimeters per year. Partial shade is also acceptable for varieties with solid green leaves.
The creep spindles' demands on the ground are small. They get along well with ordinary garden soil. However, you should regularly enrich very poor soil with compost to ensure a sufficient supply of nutrients. Creeping spindles don't grow very well on very solid ground. But the problem is easily solved by digging the soil with the spadeloosen up.
Important care measures
Casting:
Creeping spindles do best in moderately moist soil. During the summer, you should therefore water the plants regularly in sunny locations and in semi-shade during longer dry periods. You can find out how to do this correctly in our article Watering correctly in summer - these rules must be observed.
Fertilize:
If the plants grow on nutrient-rich soil, it is not necessary to fertilize them. As a container plant, however, creeping spindles need a little liquid fertilizer once a month.
Hiberation:
The hardy plants cope well with frost. At most, a limp appearance with drooping leaves can occur during the cold season. However, as soon as temperatures rise in spring, the creeping spindles recover quickly.