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                                          Spindle (Euonymus europeaus)

 

 

      

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a large deciduous shrub (6-8 metres in height) with a grey, corky bark and 3-10cm long, elliptical leaves. New shoots are almost square with distinct ridges. The flowers are very small and green, the fruits are pink and shaped like Cardinals' hats. It is pollinated by flies and other small insects.

 

In the Autumn the fruits split to reveal orange "arils": these are protein-rich coverings produced by the seed itself to make it more appealing to birds. The leaves turn a bright pink in early autumn. All in all a very attractive little tree, especially when planted in a block.

 

It grows in almost any soil and can cope with full sun or even deep shade. Most of our trees are growing from hardwood cuttings in very open positions on free draining, neutral pH soil.

 

One of the food plants of the adult Holly Blue butterfly. The tree has also been known as Prickwood, Skewerwood (due to being made into toothpicks) and the Pincushion Shrub. It is supposed to be a favourite tree of robbins, but I haven't seen any evidence of that. Everyone keeps saying that this is a host plant for beet and runner-bean aphids but, once again, I have never seen any aphids on my trees.

 

Apparently a new species of Spindle scale insects (Unaspis euonymi) has been spreading northward across the country from Europe; prompting the Kidney-spot Ladybird (Chilocorus renipustulatus) to predate them.

 

The timber was traditionally used in spindles for looms and for pegs, skewers, etc. Artists' Charcoal was supposed to be made from the young shoots. I have made Artists' charcoal from the wood and it is rubbish.

 

 

 

 

 

Although Spindle produces seed in prolofic quantities, it doesn't seem to seed directly into grass like, for example, Wild Cherry (Prunus avium). The flowers contain both male and female organs and so there is no need for male and female plants.

 

Hardwood cuttings from new wood, taken soon after the leaves have fallen, grow very easily.

 

 

 

 

 

No special requiremants. See the general .

 

 

 

 

Spindle responds well to coppicing. This will produce a multi-stemmed bush with masses of berries in the Autumn.

 

 

 

Timber Properties.

 

Spindle has a close-grained, very pale wood. Because of this, and the small diameter of the branches, it was commonly used to make small turned items, such as spindles.

 

I doubt if it was actually used for skewers, etc. as the wood is not particularly dense or strong.

I have tried making Artist's Charcoal from the young shoots, but it isn't very suitable.

 

Being a fairly light wood it might make decent kindling.