Evergreen Spindle
Evergreen Spindle trees, Abbotsbury, Dorset
Wind-shaped hedge, West Bay, Dorset
Flowers and capsules
4-merous - petals, stamens and lobed-stigma
Remaining anther (September picture)
Capsules
Leaves
Euonymus japonicus
Celastraceae
May to June and sometimes at other times of the year
It occurs mainly in the South and Southwest, particularly
Dorset and Devon. It is scattered elsewhere.
See the BSBI distribution map for Evergreen Spindle
It is a neophyte, introduced in the early 1800s and known
in the wild since the late 1890s.
It is grown for hedging in coastal areas.
The naturalised escape grows on sea-cliffs, beside roads
and in woodland.
It is increasing.
Evergreen Spindle is an evergreen shrub or small tree,
growing up to 8m.
The flowers are 4-merous and up to 1cm across.
There are 4 greenish-white petals and 4 white stamens,
inserted between the petals on a basal disc.
There is a green central style with a 4-lobed stigma.
The fruit is a green capsule, which may turn red.
Evergreen Spindle is able to reproduce by seed.
The leaves are thick, glossy, dark green, oval and
regularly toothed.
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Evergreen Spindle trees, Abbotsbury, Dorset
Wind-shaped hedge, West Bay, Dorset
Flowers and capsules
4-merous - petals, stamens and lobed-stigma
Remaining anther (September picture)
Capsules
Leaves
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