Euonymus latifolia Seeds | Broad-leaved Spindle Tree

euonymus-latifolia-seed

LATIN NAME: Euonymus latifolia

COMMON NAME: Broad-Leaved Spindle Tree

Plant Profile

Known to gardeners as Broad-Leaved Spindle Tree, Euonymus latifolia is a tree, native to woodlands of the Europe and the western Asia, while it is grown as a treasured ornamental plant. In spindle tree family it is the broad-leaved European member of a clan known for hard, fine-grained wood and brightly sealed seeds. Mature plants top out at about Four metres. Its open flowers are a reliable stop for bees and other pollinating visitors. Plants that offer this much while asking this little are rare enough to treasure.

Science & Biotechnology

Seed science, comparative botany and horticultural selection all touch on Euonymus latifolia, a representative of the Euonymus group with clear practical value. Broad-leaved spindle tree stands in autumn-plant research of the European woodlands as one of fine berry-bearing shrubs of season, and botanists have mapped its place among euonymus of the region. For practical purposes the message is encouraging: generations of cultivation have produced plants of predictable, well-mannered garden character.

Uses & Benefits

Broad-Leaved Spindle Tree works well in borders, containers and dedicated beds. In autumn garden, broad-leaved spindle tree is shrub that closes season in colour. Small, greenish flowers feed insects of late spring, pink, four-lobed capsules open to show glossy, orange-coated seeds that birds of autumn take, and dense, leafy form gives cover and shelter through the year. Hard, fine-grained wood has served small turnings and spindles of old crafts. Getting it going is easy; keeping it going is easier still.

Spindle trees are brilliant autumn ornamentals; their bark and seeds are toxic and appear only in historical external folk remedies, so they are grown for color, not use.

Growing from Seed

Starting Broad-Leaved Spindle Tree from seed is simple and satisfying. Fill a pot with a light seed compost, sow evenly on the surface, cover thinly and stand it somewhere warm, bright and evenly moist. Once the seedlings have made true leaves, pot them on individually and plant out when they are sturdy and conditions are right.

Our Take

Its long record of traditional use, described above, gives the plant a story beyond ornament. Broad-Leaved Spindle Tree is the kind of plant that rewards a permanent spot. Beginners will find it patient of imperfect technique.

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