Euonymus europaeus

Euonymus europaeus L.

Euonymus europaeus

Euonymus europaeus, commonly known as the spindle or European spindle, is a deciduous shrub or small tree native to much of Europe. It grows to heights of 3-6 meters (10-20 feet), rarely reaching up to 10 meters, with a stem diameter of up to 20 centimeters. The leaves are opposite, lanceolate to elliptical, measuring 3-8 cm in length and 1-3 cm in width. They are dark green in summer and turn yellow-green to reddish-purple in autumn. The flowers are small, inconspicuous, and yellowish-green, produced in late spring and insect-pollinated. The fruit is a capsule that ripens in autumn, turning red to purple or pink and splitting open to reveal orange seeds.

Details

Order:

Celastrales

Family:

Celastraceae

Genus:

Euonymus

Chemistry:

The plant contains various alkaloids such as theobromine and caffeine, as well as cardiac glycosides and a bitter terpene. The fruit is particularly toxic due to these substances.

Uses:

The plant is commonly used as an ornamental in gardens and parks due to its attractive autumn colors and bright pink or purple fruits. The cultivar 'Red Cascade' has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. Historically, the wood was used for making spindles and butchers' skewers. The charcoal from this plant is valued by artists for its strength and density. Parts of the plant have been used medicinally, but ingestion can result in liver and kidney damage.

Flowering time:

Late spring

Sowing time:

Plant height:

3-6 meters (10-20 feet), rarely up to 10 meters

Flower color:

Yellowish-green

Suitable habitat:

Edges of forests, hedges, gentle slopes, old hedgerows, open woodland clearings and margins, scrubland on base-rich or calcareous soils. It is also shade-tolerant and can be found in rocky limestone outcrops, rocky lake shores, and limestone pavements.

Info

Pannon Flora Ltd. was founded on December 13, 1999, by Gábor Janik, who retains 95% ownership. Janik holds an MSc in Horticulture from the University of Horticultural Sciences (1986) and an Advanced Professional English Certification from the College of International Trade (1990). The company specializes in bird feed production and export, primarily serving markets in Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK, alongside cultivating and distributing imported/exported horticultural seeds. It maintains exclusive partnerships with JOEUN Seed (South Korea) and Takii Europe (Japan), a leader in professional seed breeding and production. Pannon Flora collaborates with certification bodies such as NÉBIH (National Food Chain Safety Office), MERT Kontroll, and SGS Hungary to ensure compliance and quality. The company works with approximately 400 Hungarian growers, ranging from small-scale producers (under 5 hectares) to mid-sized farms and large-scale agricultural enterprises. This profile emphasizes agribusiness expertise, technical partnerships, and operational scalability tailored to international client needs.

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