General Culture:

Grow in average, medium moisture, well-drained soils in sun to shade. Tolerates wide range of soils and soil conditions, except for wet ones. Spreads rapidly by creeping stems which root where they touch the ground. Promptly remove any plants which revert to non-variegated foliage to maintain uniform ground cover appearance. Good tolerance for urban conditions. Can be purchased from nurseries in flats or cell packs for large ground cover plantings.

Noteworthy Characteristics:

Euonymus fortunei (wintercreeper euonymus) is a dense, woody-stemmed, broadleaf evergreen plant which comes in a variety of forms. It may be a trailing ground cover, a mounding shrub or a climbing vine. 'Variegatus' is a variegated intermediate form which is most often grown as a sprawling, bushy, indefinitely-spreading ground cover (6-12" tall). It features lustrous, ovate to elliptic, green leaves (1-2" long) variegated with white. Inconspicuous greenish-white flowers may appear in June. Flowers are at best sparse, but are usually not present. If allowed to climb a wall, tree or other structure, this plant assumes more vine-like characteristics. The cultivar name of 'Variegatus' is often loosely applied in the nursery trade to a number of different variegated forms, many of which are unstable and tend to revert to green or other color combinations over time.

Problems:

Can spread invasively into lawns or adjacent garden areas or can climb adjacent structures. Euonymus scale can be a significant problem and should be treated if it appears. Anthracnose, crown gall, leaf spot, mildew and aphids can also be problems.

Uses:

Versatile ground cover for sunny or shady areas in the landscape. Also effective as an edger along paths or sidewalks, as a slope cover where it can also provide erosion control, as a foundation planting or as an ivy-like climbing vine for covering walls, chimneys or fences.

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