EUONYMUS JAPONICUS: CHARACTERISTICS, HABITAT, PROPERTIES, CARE - BIOLOGY - 2025

Euonymus japonicus is a species of ornamental shrub plant that belongs to the Celastraceae family. Known as the bonnet of Japan, evonym, evónivo or Japanese spindle is native to Korea, China and Japan.

It is a shrub-growing plant or a low-growing evergreen tree with lanceolate, smooth and serrated leaves. The imperceptible flowers of whitish, glaucous or purple tones generate a fleshy capsule that envelops the relatively large seeds.

Euonymus japonicus. Source: Dalgial

The bonnet is a very ornamental outdoor plant due to its variegated leaves that need full sun or semi-shade exposure. It is generally used in gardening to form hedges, isolated groups or borders, it is even cultivated as decorative plants in pots.

It is a very resistant species that adapts to the littoral conditions of sandy soils, strong winds and saline environments. However, it does not tolerate occasional frosts below 0ºC.

On the other hand, in addition to its use in gardening, it has been traditionally used for its medicinal and insecticidal properties. Infusions of the leaves and fruits have a purgative function and can control external pests such as lice, ticks or acaras. However, it is considered a potentially toxic plant.

General characteristics

Appearance

Perennial shrub or small deciduous tree that can reach up to 8 m in height, as an ornamental plant it is kept only 2-3 m. The erect-growing ramifications develop at a narrow angle to the main stem, providing a globose, pointed crown.

Leaves

The obovate or lanceolate leaves 3-9 cm long are arranged in opposite pairs. They are bright green or variegated between green, white and yellow. The leathery folioles are provided with a short petiole and small stipules at the base, with serrated margins and an obtuse apex.

flowers

The hermaphroditic and inconspicuous flowers, barely 5 mm in diameter, are white, green or purple. They are arranged axillary at the end of a long peduncle in discrete compact cymes. Flowering occurs between May and July.

Fruit

The fruit is a somewhat prostrate globular capsule with reddish tones. Inside are the pink seeds wrapped in a fleshy orange aril. Fruiting occurs during the fall.

Young leaves of Euonymus japonicus. Source: Dalgial

Taxonomy

- Kingdom: Plantae

- Division: Magnoliophyta

- Class: Magnoliopsida

- Order: Celastrales

- Family: Celastraceae

- Genus: Euonymus

- Species: Euonymus japonicus Thunb.

Etymology

- Euonymus: the name of the genus comes from the union of the Greek terms «eu» and «onoma» which mean «good» and «name». It literally means "of good name." It is commonly known as a bonnet or eponymous.

- japonicus: the specific adjective is related to the geographic region of origin of the species.

Synonymy

- Euonymus sinensis Carrière (1883)

- Euonymus chinensis Loureiro (1790)

- Elaeodendron javanicum Turcz.

- Euonymus carrierei Dippel

- Euonymus pulchellus Dippel

- E. repens Carrière

- Masakia japonica (Thunb.) Nakai

- Pragmotessara japonica Pierre

Euonymus japonicus flowers. Source: KENPEI

Main species of the genus

- Euonymus alatus

Shrub 2 m high and 3 m wide, deciduous leaves and hermaphroditic ivory flowers. Native to the western region of Japan, it is an exclusively melliferous species.

- Euonymus americanus

A low-growing shrub native to eastern North America, specifically Florida, Texas, and New York. It grows to 2 m in height, has deciduous leaves and pink-hued honey flowers.

- Euonymus atropurpureus

Short shrub that reaches 3 m in height and whose flowers and fruits are reddish in color. During the fall, the leaves turn yellowish or golden.

- Euonymus carnosus

Short tree that is 3-4 m tall, evergreen leaves and honey flowers. Native species of Japan and Taiwan

- Euonymus crenulatus

Pollinating plant with crimson red flowers and deciduous leaves. Shrub native to eastern Asia and western Himalayas.

- Euonymus europaeus

Main species cultivated as an ornamental in gardens, parks or terraces. The leaves are deciduous, the fruits are pink-purple and the wood is highly valued in cabinetmaking.

-

Tree-like species that reaches 4-5 m in height and whose deciduous leaves can measure up to 10 cm in length. The flowers are greenish-yellow in color and the fruits are pinkish.

- Euonymus japonicus

Evergreen shrub 3-4 m high, angular green branches, opposite, leathery and serrated leaves. The fruits are dark red in color and ripen in late fall or early winter.

-

Evergreen shrub that reaches just 1 m in height. The flowers are purple and the fruits are pink or reddish.

Immature fruits of Euonymus japonicus. Source: Enr-v

Habitat and distribution

The Euonymus japonicus species is native to Southeast Asia, specifically Korea, China and Japan, although it has been feral in other areas of Asia, including India and Pakistan. In Europe it was introduced at the beginning of the 19th century, in fact it is a common ornamental species in some regions of the Iberian Peninsula.

It is a fast-growing plant that requires soils with a high content of humus or organic matter and full sun exposure or partial shade.

Its natural habitat is located on the fringes of forests, degraded lands and slopes near the sea. Grown as ornamental shrubs, it is found in squares, parks and gardens, as well as hedges, slopes and stands along roads and highways.

Properties

Medicinal

The bonnet, in particular its fruits, contain moderately toxic bioactive principles that are used for their medicinal and therapeutic effect under certain restrictions.

In the past, the decoction of the leaves and fruits was used topically to combat mites, ticks and lice, even to cure scabies.

Ingested as an infusion, it is used to alleviate liver disorders, although its use is currently contraindicated due to its potential toxicity. The bark has diuretic, tonic and antirheumatic properties, and the cooking of the leaves is used to improve difficult deliveries.

Handcrafted

From the roots a transparent and elastic rubber similar to rubber is obtained, used as an electrical insulator and for the manufacture of rubber. Also, from the powdered leaves a dye used to dye fabrics, blankets or mats is obtained.

Ornamental

As an ornamental plant it is cultivated in parks and gardens, mainly in the formation of hedges or borders around squares and walkways. The cultivars most used in gardening are those that exhibit variegated foliage between green, white and yellow. It is also used in bonsai and for topiary art.

Insecticide

Topically it is used to eliminate lice and mites from the body. In general, an infusion is prepared with 25 grams of leaves and branches for each liter of water and then applied as baths on the affected area. Its consumption is restricted due to its toxic action.

Ripe fruits of Euonymus japonicus. Source: pixabay.com

Spread

The bonnet reproduces both by seeds and cuttings. The seeds require a pre-germination process that limits their development, being a slower process than vegetative propagation to obtain productive plants.

Propagation by seeds

The process of propagation by seeds is more cumbersome and slow, since it requires going through a pre-germination process. Indeed, the seeds should be stratified in sand for 8-10 weeks and kept under refrigeration for 6-8 weeks.

A vermiculite-based substrate is regularly used to stratify the seeds. It is advisable to apply a fungicide based on copper or sulfur to avoid the appearance of fungal diseases.

Keeping the substrate moist is essential during the process and store in the refrigerator with a temperature below 8 ºC. Each week the storage containers should be aerated to renew the environment.

Stratification begins during winter. In this way, in early spring the seeds will be ready for sowing. The establishment of the crop is carried out in pots with universal substrate, favoring the seeds to germinate during the spring.

Propagation by cuttings

Cuttings are obtained from vigorous, woody branches of healthy plants free from pests and diseases. Cuttings 10-15 cm long are cut with sharp and disinfected scissors. Before sowing they are impregnated with a rooting phytohormone.

The planting of the cuttings is done in pots with a universal substrate, maintaining constant humidity and temperature conditions. It is necessary to place the pots in partial shade so that the emission of the roots begins after 3-4 weeks.

Variegated cultivar of Euonymus japonicus. Source: Karduelis

Care

Location

The bonnet is a rustic outdoor plant that needs full sun exposure or partial shade during establishment. It adapts to conditions near the sea and tolerates strong winds well, but it does not support occasional temperatures below 0 ºC.

Substratum

Sown in parks and gardens, it requires a loamy, permeable soil with a high content of organic matter. In pots, it requires a fertile universal substrate with an average perlite or coarse sand content of 30%.

Subscriber

The application of organic fertilizers should be done every month from spring to the end of summer. In mid-spring, it is advisable to apply chemical fertilizers dissolved in the irrigation water plus a nutritional supplement of sulfur.

Irrigation

The frequency of irrigation depends on the environmental conditions and the season of the year. Being more frequent and abundant during the summer, occasional and reduced during the winter.

Pruning

The bonnet does not require strict pruning, being only necessary to eliminate dry stems and diseased, weak or broken branches. It is recommended only in the establishment phase of the crop or to hedge the plant and avoid the growth of scattered branches.

Small bonnet hedge. Source: Fadesga

Plagues and diseases

Pests

Although it is a resistant and rustic plant, under certain conditions it can be affected by pests such as mealybugs, spinning caterpillars or aphids. Cottony or limpet-like mealybugs affect young stems or apical buds by sucking sap from tissues.

Aphids are small yellow, green or brown insects that colonize leaves and flower buds. Spinning caterpillars are the larval stage of Hyponomeuta cognatellus, gnawing on the tender tissues of the leaves and weaving their silky nests on the leaves.

Diseases

High humidity environmental conditions, associated with frequent watering in the rainy season, can lead to the appearance of fungi. Among these, the Oidium sp., Gloeosporium euonymi or Phyllosticta evonymicola.

The Oidium sp. It is the causal agent of oidium, a disease characterized by a white powder on the leaves, especially in plants under persistent shade. The fungi Gloeosporium euonymi and Phyllosticta evonymicola produce reddish or brownish leaf spots the first and round and necrotic spots the second.

References

1. Euonymus japonicus. (2019). Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Recovered at: es.wikipedia.org
2. Euonymus japonicus, Evónimo or Bonnet (2019) Consult Plants. Facts about plants with their care since 2001. Retrieved from: consultaplantas.com
3. Euonymus japonicus (evonimo) (2019) Floralquería. Two sisters. Recovered at: sites.google.com/site/floralqueria
4. Gilman, EF (1999). Euonymus japonica. Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Science, 204, 1-3.
5. López, AC (1946). Action of phytohormones on cuttings of »Euonymus Japonicus» L. In Anales del Jardín Botánico de Madrid (Vol. 6, No. 1, pp. 125-142). Royal Botanical Garden.
6. Orwa, et al (2009) Euonymus japonicus. Agroforestry Database 4.0 pp. 5.
7. Sánchez, M. (2019) Evónimo (Euonymous japonicus). Gardening On. Recovered in: jardineriaon.com