Japanese spindle

Japanese Spindle (Euonymus japonicus) is the shrub for a formal hedge that stays sharp without constant attention. Left alone it makes a rounded evergreen about 3m tall and 2m wide, though most gardeners hold it between 1m and 1.5m with two trims a year. The leaves are small, thick and high gloss, so a clipped face catches the light the way box does, but the plant behind it is tougher: frost hardy, salt tolerant and untroubled by a dry, windy boundary.

Why you'll love it

• It takes a clip beautifully. Small leaves and a dense habit mean cut ends disappear, so the hedge reads as one clean surface.
• Hardy in four directions at once. Frost hardy, drought tolerant, wind tolerant and salt tolerant. Few formal hedging plants manage all four.
• Glossy evergreen year round. The foliage keeps its shine through winter, so a boundary planted for privacy still works in July.
• Sun or part shade. It holds reasonable density in half a day of sun, useful along a south facing fence where most hedges thin out.

Where it works best

Formal hedging. Plant 60cm apart in a single row. That spacing knits into a solid face without the plants starving each other of water and light.

Screening and privacy. Grown to its full 3m it covers a standard fence line. Keep the base slightly wider than the top so the lower branches hold their light.

Topiary and coastal gardens. Single plants hold a ball, cone or standard well, and the salt and wind tolerance make it a safer formal choice near the water than clipped box.

Growing Japanese Spindle in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the tightest growth; part shade means a looser hedge. It suits warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean gardens and handles frost unprotected. In the humid subtropics and tropics the still, wet air brings on leaf spotting, so choose a hedge better adapted to humidity.

Soil. Not fussy about type as long as water moves through. It copes with thin, poor ground but sulks in a wet spot, so mound the position on heavy clay. Mulch 75mm deep, kept clear of the stems.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first summer, then step back. Once established it is genuinely drought tolerant. A controlled release fertiliser in early spring and again in late summer keeps the colour strong.

Pruning. Start tipping from the day you plant rather than waiting for height, because early trimming builds density low down. After that, two cuts a year hold the shape: one after the spring flush, one in late summer.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell it in three sizes: 140mm in packs of ten, 200mm in packs of six, and single 300mm plants. The packs are the sensible choice for a hedge run, since you need a plant every 60cm and the cost per metre drops. Single 300mm plants suit a short border, a topiary specimen or patching an existing hedge.

This is a slow growing shrub, which is exactly why it clips so well. Expect a quiet first season while the roots establish, then steady growth. Plants are packed upright and 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 looking sharp
• Compare hedging and screening plants
• Plants that suit topiary and shaping
• Japanese Box, for a softer low hedge

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a hedge?

Sixty centimetres apart in a single row. Planting tighter does not close the gap any faster and only makes the plants compete for water.

How fast does it grow?

Slowly, and that is the trade for how neatly it clips. Buy the largest size your budget allows if you want height sooner.

Can I keep it under a metre?

Yes. It holds a low hedge of 60cm to 1m with two trims a year, and because it shoots from old wood you can bring an overgrown plant back down without leaving bare stems.