Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Gold Spot Euonymus
Gold Spot Euonymus is an evergreen shrub with glossy dark green leaves that each carry a bright gold center. It grows about 5 to 10 feet tall and 3 to 6 feet wide, so it makes a colorful hedge, screen or accent. It shears well and takes shaping into a formal hedge. On an east or north side it brings year-round color to a shady bed.
Best for: colorful hedges and screens on east or north sides, foundation plantings, accents in shady beds, and large containers.
At 5 to 10 feet tall it makes a colorful hedge or screen. It shears well, so it can be kept as a formal hedge or left looser.
It does best with morning sun and afternoon shade. An east or north foundation bed suits it, and the gold leaves brighten a shady wall.
One plant makes a bright evergreen accent in a bed. It also grows in a large container on a shaded patio with regular water.
West sun and reflected heat scorch the leaves, so keep it on an east or north side. It needs regular water here, alkaline soil can yellow the leaves, and scale insects are the most common pest.
- Hedge row6 ft apart
- Looser screen8 ft apart
Water a new plant often enough to keep the root ball moist while it roots in. Once rooted, soak it about weekly, or every 7 to 10 days, and more often in extreme heat. Let the top few inches dry between soaks.
Do the main pruning in late winter or early spring. Light summer trims are fine, but skip heavy cuts in extreme heat.
Scale is the most common pest, so coat the stems and both sides of the leaves with horticultural oil at the first sign. Powdery mildew can show up in spring or in humid spells where the air is still.
Give it a light, balanced feeding in early spring. Yellow leaves with green veins can mean the soil is too alkaline, and an iron product helps.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
How big does Gold Spot Euonymus get?
It grows about 5 to 10 feet tall and 3 to 6 feet wide, at a moderate to fast pace. Prune it to keep it smaller if you want a low hedge.
How far apart should I plant Gold Spot Euonymus?
For a hedge, plant them about 6 to 8 feet apart, center to center. The Spacing tab counts plants for your row.
Can Gold Spot Euonymus take full sun in Phoenix?
Not on a west side. Plant it on an east or north side where it gets morning sun and afternoon shade, since west walls and reflected heat scorch the leaves.
How often should I water Gold Spot Euonymus?
Water it about weekly, and more often in extreme heat. Let the top few inches of soil dry between soaks, since soggy soil rots the roots.
Is Gold Spot Euonymus a low-water shrub?
No. In the Valley it needs regular water, about weekly and more in extreme heat. Group it with other plants that get regular water.
When should I prune Gold Spot Euonymus?
Do the main pruning in late winter or early spring. Light trims in summer are fine, but skip heavy pruning in extreme heat. It shears well into a formal hedge.
Why are the leaves turning yellow?
Check for scale insects first, then check drainage. Yellow leaves with green veins can mean the soil is too alkaline, and an iron product helps.
What are the white bumps on the stems?
They are most likely euonymus scale, the most common pest on this shrub. Treat early by coating the stems and both sides of the leaves with horticultural oil.
Does it need fertilizer?
A light, balanced feeding in early spring is enough. Skip feeding during extreme summer heat.
Is Gold Spot Euonymus toxic to pets?
Euonymus leaves and seeds can upset a pet's stomach if chewed, and large amounts are more serious. Keep pets from eating it.
How cold can it take?
It is rated to about 0°F, so it stays green through Valley winters and needs no frost cover.
Gold Spot Euonymus for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Gold Spot Euonymus (Euonymus japonicus 'Aureovariegatus') is an evergreen shrub with gold-centered, glossy leaves and dark green edges. It is a common choice for a colorful hedge or screen on the shady side of a house. Below you will find its size, where to plant it in the Valley, water, pruning, soil and common problems.
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Does Gold Spot Euonymus grow well in Arizona?
Yes, on the right side of the house. It is an evergreen shrub with glossy, gold-centered leaves that does best in the Valley on an east or north side, with regular water.
How big does Gold Spot Euonymus get?
It grows about 5 to 10 feet tall and 3 to 6 feet wide at a moderate to fast pace. It takes pruning well, so it can be kept lower as a hedge.
Where should you plant euonymus in Phoenix?
Give it morning sun and afternoon shade on an east or north side. West walls and reflected heat scorch the leaves, especially on variegated plants.
How often do you water Gold Spot Euonymus?
Soak it about weekly, and more often in extreme heat. Let the top few inches of soil dry between soaks, since soggy soil rots the roots.
How do you prune a euonymus hedge?
Prune in late winter or early spring, and keep summer trims light. Regular pruning keeps it at hedge height.
How do you treat euonymus scale and yellow leaves?
Scale is the most common pest, so treat it early with horticultural oil on stems and both sides of the leaves. Yellow leaves with green veins can mean alkaline soil, and an iron product helps.
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