Choosing planting

Which spindle trees for a hedge?

Our selection of euonymus in small or large sizes

Contents

Modified the 20 November 2025 by Christine 5 min. Difficulty: Beginner

The spindle trees encompass numerous species, which, thanks to their various habits and sizes, allow for different uses. Naturally bushy, upright, and featuring dense, decorative foliage, Japanese spindle trees (Euonymus japonicus), Fortune’s spindle trees (Euonymus fortunei), and Chinese spindle trees (Euonymus myrianthus) are perfect for creating an evergreen hedge. Note that along the coast, it is the Japanese spindle tree that is best suited. Indeed, it thrives in airy environments, withstands heat well, and tolerates sea spray perfectly. The main advantage of these bushes is their decorative foliage that persists in winter. While the often discreet flowering is not particularly noteworthy, it still provides a good source of food for pollinating insects, as does the fruiting, which birds love.

Discover our selection of 7 spindle trees perfect for creating a low or high hedge, privacy screen, or windbreak, whether trimmed or with a free habit.

Difficulty

Euonymus for low hedges

The Euonymus fortunei ‘Silverstone’

The dense and evergreen foliage of the Fortune’s spindle ‘Silverstone’ makes it a great decorative element for small spaces. Indeed, this variety does not exceed 30 cm in all directions at maturity. This is a dwarf spindle. Its other asset is the colour of its young persistent leaves. At bud burst, they are beautifully cream-tinted, then they take on a white speckled with dark green. They eventually show strong green marbling with age. Very hardy and tolerant of pruning, this bush forms a neat silhouette, allowing for the creation of a regular low hedge. In soil that remains cool, the Euonymus fortunei ‘Silverstone’ can therefore perfectly replace boxwood borders, which are often attacked by box tree moth.

white-speckled spindle for hedge Euonymus fortunei ‘Silverstone’

The Euonymus fortunei ‘Goldy’

The main attraction of the Fortune’s spindle ‘Goldy’ is the warm and bright colour of its foliage. This evergreen cultivar has leaves that are elliptical, finely dentate, tinged with a superb golden yellow! The veins of the leaves are lighter, which adds even more elegance and finesse to this spindle. Although its foliage slightly greens with time, particularly at the base of the clump, its charm remains intact. This modest-sized evergreen bush displays a compact and bushy growth of 50 cm in all directions at maturity. With very good hardiness and able to withstand root competition, it brightens up small hedges all year round and helps us forget the winter gloom.

yellow-leaved spindle for hedge Euonymus fortunei ‘Goldy’

The Euonymus japonicus ‘Green Spire’

The name of this variety “Green Spire” perfectly represents the atypical appearance of this bush. Indeed, the Japanese spindle ‘Green Spire’ perfectly erects its branches of a beautiful dark green and glossy. The young leaves at the tip of the shoot are slightly lighter at bud burst. Standing at 50 cm tall and 30 cm wide, the columnar and regular habit of this evergreen cultivar ‘Green Spire’ is very graphic. This spindle is resistant to negative temperatures down to -15 °C and can easily fit into a low hedge with a modern and original style and is also well suited for topiary art.

green-leaved spindle for hedge Euonymus japonicus ‘Green Spire’

The Euonymus japonicus ‘Microphyllus Albovariegatus’

The Japanese spindle ‘Microphyllus Albovariegatus’ is the largest cultivar in our selection for low hedges. Not exceeding 90 cm in height and width at maturity, this spindle is appreciated for its naturally bushy and erect and rounded habit, but also for its variegated foliage. The edge of its green lanceolate leaves is highlighted by a fine white line. Thanks to this refined style, the Euonymus japonicus ‘Microphyllus Albovariegatus’ integrates easily into a low-growing hedge to border a path or delineate an area of the garden. To maintain its attractive appearance, pinching the young shoots encourages this bush to branch out.

Japanese spindle with small leaves for hedge Euonymus japonicus ‘Microphyllus Albovariegatus’

Euonymus for tall hedges

The Euonymus japonicus ‘Président Gauthier’

The Japanese spindle ‘Président Gauthier’ looks stunning in its beautiful bicolour attire. This variety showcases superb variegated evergreen foliage. This bush has a dense, bushy habit with upright branches reaching up to 2 m high. This branching reaches about 1.50 m in width at maturity. On the branches, the leaves, broad and leathery, tinted a glossy green are heavily marginate with cream white. The Euonymus japonicus ‘Président Gauthier’ is ideal for brightening partially shaded areas of the garden, even in winter. You can use this spindle both in a trimmed single-species hedge or in a free-form hedge (untrimmed) where it forms a naturally rounded clump.

variegated Japanese spindle for tall hedge Euonymus japonicus ‘Président Gauthier’

The Euonymus japonicus ‘Ovatus Aureus’

Very popular and also known as Euonymus japonicus ‘Marieke’, the Japanese spindle ‘Ovatus Aureus’ brings a lovely warm hue to hedges. Its evergreen foliage is so vividly variegated with bright yellow that, from a distance, it appears completely golden, especially during its early years. The dark green leaves at the centre are irregularly edged with golden yellow, but the young shoots are entirely yellow. In the ground, this cultivar reaches up to 2 m in height, sometimes more, with a diameter of 1.60 m. With its well-branched foliage from the base and its rounded habit, the Euonymus japonicus ‘Ovatus Aureus’ fits beautifully into a mixed shrub hedge where it is highlighted.

golden-leaved Japanese spindle for tall hedge Euonymus japonicus ‘Ovatus Aureus’ (photo A. Barra – Wikimedia)

The Euonymus myrianthus

Also known as “Chinese spindle” or “spindle from China”, the Euonymus myrianthus is an underappreciated and rarely planted shrub in our gardens. Reaching 2.50 m to 3 m high and wide, this evergreen spindle still holds beautiful surprises. Unlike many spindles that have insignificant flowering, the Chinese spindle produces a generous flowering in clusters of yellow-green flowers, clearly visible. Covered in long, oval green leaves, it changes colour in autumn. The foliage then takes on a yellow hue before turning red. It is also at this time that its large fruits appear, which are also decorative. These start off pale yellow, then turn apricot orange. When they open, they reveal seeds enveloped in an orange aril. Place the Euonymus myrianthus in a free-form hedge, preferably in partial shade, to shield you from prying eyes.