OF THE CAROLINAS & GEORGIA

Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Rosids: Fabids: Celastrales

WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/14/23):
Euonymus fortunei   FAMILY Celastraceae   Go to FSUS key



INCLUDING PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Euonymus fortunei var. radicans   FAMILY Celastraceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)

Euonymus fortunei

SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 12 (2016)

Euonymus fortunei

INCLUDED WITHIN Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2015)

Elaeodendron fortunei

INCLUDING Vascular flora of Illinois (Mohlenbrock, 2014)

Euonymus kiautschovicus

INCLUDING Floristic synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2010)

Euonymus hederaceus

INCLUDING Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)

Euonymus fortunei var. radicans

INCLUDING Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)

Euonymus kiautschovica

 

COMMON NAME:
Wintercreeper, Climbing Euonymus, Chinese Spindle-tree


         To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.

image of Euonymus fortunei, Wintercreeper, Climbing Euonymus, Chinese Spindle-tree

JK Marlow    jkm160103_132

January    Greenville County    SC

Swamp Rabbit Trail

image of Euonymus fortunei, Wintercreeper, Climbing Euonymus, Chinese Spindle-tree

Terry Holdsclaw    tdh_euonymus_fortunei_1b

February    Mecklenburg County    NC

Dangling paired or single pinkish-to-red capsules split to reveal seed, per Nonnative Invasive Plants of Southern Forests (Miller, 2003).

image of Euonymus fortunei, Wintercreeper, Climbing Euonymus, Chinese Spindle-tree

JK Marlow    jkm150407_121

April    Greenville County    SC

Swamp Rabbit Trail

image of Euonymus fortunei, Wintercreeper, Climbing Euonymus, Chinese Spindle-tree

JK Marlow    jkm150516_065

May    Greenville County    SC

The vinelike habit enables access up tree trunks by aerial rootlets, per Woody Plants of the Southeastern US: A Winter Guide (Lance, 2004).

image of Euonymus fortunei, Wintercreeper, Climbing Euonymus, Chinese Spindle-tree

Terry Holdsclaw    tdh_e_fortunei_6410

May    Mecklenburg County    NC

Axillary clusters of inconspicuous flowers at the ends of Y-shaped stems, per Nonnative Invasive Plants of Southern Forests (Miller, 2003).

image of Euonymus fortunei, Wintercreeper, Climbing Euonymus, Chinese Spindle-tree

Terry Holdsclaw    tdh_e_fortunei_7025

June    Mecklenburg County    NC

This evergreen climbing shrub climbs up trees, rocks, and buildings, per Invasive Plants, Weeds of the Global Garden (Randall & Marinelli, 1996).

image of Euonymus fortunei, Wintercreeper, Climbing Euonymus, Chinese Spindle-tree

JK Marlow    jkm140809_452

August    Greenville County    SC

Lake Conestee Nature Park

Wintercreeper spreads across the ground to form a dense groundcover, per Invasive Plants, Weeds of the Global Garden (Randall & Marinelli, 1996).

image of Euonymus fortunei, Wintercreeper, Climbing Euonymus, Chinese Spindle-tree

JK Marlow    jkm130928_720

September    Spartanburg County    SC

Leaves broadly oval, moderately thick, with base tapering to petiole, per Nonnative Invasive Plants of Southern Forests (Miller, 2003).

image of Euonymus fortunei, Wintercreeper, Climbing Euonymus, Chinese Spindle-tree

JK Marlow    jkm141031_502

October    Greenville County    SC

Lake Conestee Nature Park

image of Euonymus fortunei, Wintercreeper, Climbing Euonymus, Chinese Spindle-tree

JK Marlow    jkm141031_523

October    Greenville County    SC

Swamp Rabbit Trail

Note non-flowering juvenile phase at tree base and flowering phase higher up.

image of Euonymus fortunei, Wintercreeper, Climbing Euonymus, Chinese Spindle-tree

JK Marlow    jkm141031_526

October    Greenville County    SC

Swamp Rabbit Trail

The capsule is pale or light pink, the arils orange, per Woody Plants of the Southeastern US: A Winter Guide (Lance, 2004).

image of Euonymus fortunei, Wintercreeper, Climbing Euonymus, Chinese Spindle-tree

JK Marlow    jkm141031_527

October    Greenville County    SC

Swamp Rabbit Trail

image of Euonymus fortunei, Wintercreeper, Climbing Euonymus, Chinese Spindle-tree

JK Marlow    jkm141031_529

October    Greenville County    SC

Swamp Rabbit Trail

Flowers and fruit tend to form only on plants with the opportunity to climb, per Invasive Plants, Guide to Identification, Impacts and Control (Kaufman & Kaufman, 2007).

image of Euonymus fortunei, Wintercreeper, Climbing Euonymus, Chinese Spindle-tree

JK Marlow    jkm141031_533

October    Greenville County    SC

Swamp Rabbit Trail

image of Euonymus fortunei, Wintercreeper, Climbing Euonymus, Chinese Spindle-tree

JK Marlow    jkm141031_535

October    Greenville County    SC

Swamp Rabbit Trail

image of Euonymus fortunei, Wintercreeper, Climbing Euonymus, Chinese Spindle-tree

JK Marlow    jkm141031_546

October    Greenville County    SC

Swamp Rabbit Trail

image of Euonymus fortunei, Wintercreeper, Climbing Euonymus, Chinese Spindle-tree

JK Marlow    jkm141031_548

October    Greenville County    SC

Swamp Rabbit Trail

Climbing vines reach 40-70' and can kill shrubs and small trees, per Invasive Plants, Guide to Identification, Impacts and Control (Kaufman & Kaufman, 2007).

image of Euonymus fortunei, Wintercreeper, Climbing Euonymus, Chinese Spindle-tree

JK Marlow    jkm161028_025

October    Greenville County    SC

Lake Conestee Nature Park

image of Euonymus fortunei, Wintercreeper, Climbing Euonymus, Chinese Spindle-tree

JK Marlow    jkm161028_027

October    Greenville County    SC

Lake Conestee Nature Park

image of Euonymus fortunei, Wintercreeper, Climbing Euonymus, Chinese Spindle-tree

JK Marlow    jkm161028_028

October    Greenville County    SC

Lake Conestee Nature Park

 

 

WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/14/23):
Euonymus fortunei   FAMILY Celastraceae

INCLUDING PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Euonymus fortunei var. radicans   FAMILY Celastraceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Euonymus fortunei

SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 12
Euonymus fortunei

INCLUDED WITHIN Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2015)
Elaeodendron fortunei

INCLUDING Vascular flora of Illinois (Mohlenbrock, 2014)
Euonymus kiautschovicus

INCLUDING Floristic synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2010)
Euonymus hederaceus

INCLUDING Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)
Euonymus fortunei var. radicans

INCLUDING Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)
Euonymus kiautschovica

 

Find by SCIENTIFIC NAME:

541

Woody vine
Perennial

Habitat: Bottomlands, swamps, upland suburban woodlands, per Weakley's Flora

Non-native: China

Uncommon in Carolina Piedmont (rare elsewhere in GA-NC-SC)

map
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.

Click here to see a map showing all occurrences known to SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria. (Zoom in to see more detail.)


INVASIVE

This plant is causing problems in natural areas outside its native range, according to authorities such as:

 

LEAVES:
Deciduous or weakly evergreen
Simple
Opposite

FLOWER:
Spring/Summer
Greenish-white
Radially symmetrical
4-merous
4 petals
4 stamens
Superior ovary
Bisexual

Flowers in axillary clusters

FRUIT:
Fall
Pinkish/Red
Capsule

 

TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!



 


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