Aureo Marginatus Euonymus

Aureo Marginatus Euonymus (Euonymus japonicus 'Aureo Marginatus') is a hedging shrub that brings its own colour. It reaches about 2.5m tall and 2m wide, with glossy leaves edged in bright gold that hold through winter. Clipped, it makes a formal hedge or a shaped ball, and it takes wind, salt and frost without sulking.

Why you'll love it

• Gold margins all year. The variegation does not fade off in winter, so a hedge of it lifts a dull corner without a single flower.
• It clips beautifully. Small dense leaves and reliable reshooting make it one of the better choices for topiary balls, cones and low formal hedges.
• Exposed sites are fine. Salt tolerant, wind tolerant and frost hardy, an unusual combination in a variegated shrub.
• Low maintenance once away. Drought tolerant after the first two seasons, with two trims a year the only real job.

Where it works best

Hedging and screening. Plant 60cm apart for a dense hedge. That spacing closes within two to three seasons and holds a clean face anywhere from 1m up to its full 2.5m.

Topiary and pots. Single plants shape into balls, cones and standards, and a 500mm pot will carry one at about 1.5m either side of a doorway.

Coastal gardens. Salt tolerance makes it a workable hedge on a coastal block where box and photinia often scorch.

Growing Aureo Marginatus Euonymus in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the strongest gold, and part shade works with the leaf turning a softer cream. It suits cool temperate, warm temperate, Mediterranean and subtropical gardens, and handles frost once established.

Soil. Any reasonable garden soil that drains. Dig compost through the trench before planting a hedge, and mulch 75mm deep, kept clear of the stems.

Water and feed. Deep water twice a week through the first summer, then only in long dry spells. A complete slow release fertiliser in early spring and again in late summer keeps the variegation crisp.

Pruning. Trim after the spring flush and again in late summer. It reshoots readily from old wood, so a hedge that has run away can be cut back hard and will refurnish from the base.

Toxicity. All parts of euonymus are toxic if eaten, so it is not the pick for a garden where children or pets chew foliage.

What to expect when it arrives

It is sold in one size, a 200mm pack of six, which is the practical hedging unit: six plants covers just over 3m of hedge line at 60cm spacing. They arrive bushy and around knee height rather than as an instant screen.

Plants are packed upright and delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Expect a quiet month after planting, then steady growth of roughly 30cm a year, quicker with water and feed. 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 options in our best hedging plants
• Browse plants for topiary and shaping
• See more variegated foliage plants

Common questions

How many plants do I need for a hedge?

At 60cm spacing you need about seventeen plants for every 10m of hedge, so three packs of six covers a little over 10m. Planting closer does not close the gap any faster.

Can I keep it at 1m?

Yes. Two trims a year hold it anywhere between 1m and 2.5m, and because it shoots from old wood it stays furnished at the base rather than lifting into bare stems.

Is it safe around pets?

No. Euonymus is toxic if eaten, so choose something else where a dog chews shrubs. Clipping and handling it is not a problem.

Will it hold its gold in shade?

Partly. Full sun gives the brightest margins, while in part shade the gold softens towards cream and the plant grows a little more openly.