Carolina Nature

Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines of North Carolina

Winter Creeper (Euonymus fortunei)

Plantae>Magnoliophyta>Magnoliopsida>Celastrales>Celastraceae>Euonymus fortunei (Turczaninow) Handel-Mazzetti

Winter Creeper (Euonymus fortunei var. radicans) leaves

Winter Creeper is an evergreen with habits similar to English Ivy (Hedera helix) — it acts as a groundcover and also climbs up trees, attaching itself with hairy rootlets, though it can also be shrublike.

The leathery opposite leaves are evergreen.

Durham Co., NC 3/1/08.

Winter Creeper (Euonymus fortunei var. radicans)

Introduced from China as an ornamental, it is highly invasive in North Carolina, though it's not quite as big a problem as English Ivy (seen in the background of this photo). Winter Creeper has no problem spreading by seed into native forests. Attractive as it may seem, this is one of the thugs of the plant world -- avoid planting Winter Creeper.

Winter Creeper (Euonymus fortunei var. radicans)

Winter Creeper readily escapes into native forests and has no trouble dominating medium-sized trees.

Durham Co., NC 3/1/08.

Winter Creeper (Euonymus fortunei var. radicans) bark

The vines are very densely covered with hairy rootlets, even more so than Poison Ivy.

Durham Co., NC 3/1/08.

More information:
Bioimages
Invasive.org
PCA Alien Plant Working Group
Virginia Tech Dendrology

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