Easy Hedge Euonymus

Easy Hedge Euonymus (Euonymus japonicus 'Easy Hedge') was bred to do one job properly: hold a narrow formal hedge without constant work. It grows naturally upright to about 2m tall and only 1m wide, with small glossy evergreen leaves that clip to a crisp face. Where a traditional box hedge sulks in heat or humidity, this one keeps its colour and its shape.

Why you'll love it

• Narrow by nature. A 1m spread means a proper hedge along a boundary or path without losing half a metre of garden bed to it.
• Holds a clipped face. Small dense leaves take a hedge trimmer cleanly, so the edges stay sharp rather than looking chewed.
• Far less trimming than box. The upright growth habit means fewer cuts a year to keep a formal line.
• Handles exposure. Frost hardy, drought tolerant, wind tolerant and salt tolerant, so coastal and open sites suit it.

Where it works best

Formal hedging and screening. Plant 50cm apart in a single row. At that spacing the plants close into a solid face within about two seasons and stay furnished to the ground.

Topiary and shaping. The fine dense growth suits balls, cones and standards, and it recovers well from being cut back to a shape.

Borders and pots. A low clipped edge at 60cm to 80cm frames a bed neatly, and matched plants in pots work either side of an entry.

Growing Easy Hedge Euonymus in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to part shade. It grows in cool temperate, warm temperate, subtropical and Mediterranean gardens, which covers most of the populated country. It is frost hardy, and in the most humid subtropical summers airflow matters, so avoid planting it hard against a wall.

Soil. Not fussy about type provided it drains. Work compost through the trench before planting a hedge line, and mulch 75mm deep kept clear of the stems.

Water and feed. Deep water twice a week through the first summer, then only in dry spells. Feed a complete slow release fertiliser in early spring and again in late summer to keep the growth dense and the leaves glossy.

Pruning. Tip prune from planting to thicken the base. After that, two trims a year hold a formal face, timed after each growth flush. It shoots from old wood, so a hedge that has been let go can be cut back hard and rebuilt.

What to expect when it arrives

Three sizes are grown: single tubestock, 140mm plants in packs of ten, and 200mm plants in packs of six. Tubes are young and single stemmed, and they are the sensible buy for a long hedge run where the cost per plant decides the job. The 140mm and 200mm plants are branched and will close a hedge roughly a season sooner.

Plants are packed to travel upright, and some leaf drop after transit is normal. Expect two to three quiet weeks, then new growth, with a usable hedge face in the second season. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• How to create a great hedge and keep it sharp
• Compare the best hedging plants
• Plants suited to topiary and shaping
• Tall and narrow screening plants

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it?

Fifty centimetres apart in a single row. Closer spacing wastes plants without closing the hedge any faster, and it makes watering and feeding the line harder.

Is it safe around cats and dogs?

No. All parts of euonymus are toxic if eaten, and chewing can cause vomiting and stomach upset in pets and children. Choose something else if you have a pet that grazes on foliage.

Can I keep it lower than 2m?

Easily. Two trims a year will hold it anywhere from 60cm to its full height. Because it reshoots from old wood, dropping the height on an established hedge does not leave permanent bare patches.