Spindle - Euonymous europaeus

Irish name - Feoras
Staff vine or bittersweet family - Celastraceae

Characteristics

• Spindle sits right on the borderline between trees and shrubs. It will grow to a height of 5m (15ft), but spindle in hedgerows are more typically bush-like and therefore grow to 3-4m (9-12ft).
• The shiny leaves vary from egg-shaped to lance-shaped.
• For most of the year the spindle is an inconspicuous shrub, but it displays brilliant autumn foliage, making it a popular decorative plant in gardens and parks.
• The unique autumn fruits are four-lobed capsules, which turn a deep pinkish-red when ripe. They are matt, not glossy, and split to reveal the bright orange flesh surrounding each hard yellow seed.
• The tree has an unpleasant smell if bruised.

Season

• Small greenish flowers open in May and June.
• The fruits ripen in October.

Preferred Environment

• It prefers lime-rich soils and shares a common distribution with guilder rose.

Wildlife Associations

• The bright colour contrast of the seeds attracts birds, which spread the seed, frequently resulting in new plants sprouting up in hedgerows.

Uses

• The young shoots make very fine charcoal for artist’s use.
• The name is derived from the historic use of this wood for spindles in spinning wheels and looms.

Please remember...

Permission from the landowner - and, if the site holds any kind of designation, from Northern Ireland Environment Agency too - must be sought before collecting plant material (including seeds).