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Euonymus phellomanus
Corktree is a deciduous shrub from China, growing 2 to 4 m tall, grown for its corky winged bark and pink autumn fruit with orange seeds. It is very adaptable, tolerating full sun or partial shade and moist or dry soil.
Euonymus phellomanus (corky spindle) is a species of flowering plant in the family Celastraceae. It is native to China. A substantial deciduous shrub growing to 2–4 m (6.6–13.1 ft) tall by 2.5 m (8.2 ft) broad, it produces insignificant yellow-green flowers in May followed by brilliant pink fruit in autumn. Like other spindles, the fruit break open to reveal bright orange seeds when ripe. A notable feature is the rough corky bark which with age develops "wings" clothing the length of each branch; the element phellos in its name is from the Ancient Greek for cork. A similar effect is seen in the related Euonymus alatus (winged spindle).
In cultivation this hardy plant is very adaptable, accepting moist or dry soil in full or partial sunshine. In the UK it has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
Burningbush · Burningbush · Fleshy Flowered Spindle Tree · Euonymus cornutus · Spindle · Winter creeper · Hamilton's spindletree · Japanese spindletree · Large Leaved Spindle · Korean Spindle Tree · Siberian Spindletree
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Euonymus phellomanus by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
