# fortune's spindle (*Euonymus fortunei*) Fortune's spindle is a lovely green shrub with bright pink berries. It can grow in many places and is often used to make gardens look pretty! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 15 - **Habitat:** Urban areas ![fortune's spindle](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Euonymus_fortunei_5422029.jpg&width=800) Photo: James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org, CC BY 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Euonymus_fortunei_5422029.jpg) ## Appearance The fortune's spindle is a versatile plant with glossy green leaves, often variegated with cream, yellow, or pink. Its small, inconspicuous greenish-white flowers mature into bright pinkish-red capsules that split open to reveal vibrant orange seeds. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Celastrales - **Family:** Celastraceae - **Genus:** Euonymus ## Interesting facts - It's nicknamed 'wintercreeper' because it stays green and spreads, even in winter! - Its bright orange seeds are hidden inside colorful pink 'lanterns'! - Some varieties can grow over 20 feet tall, climbing like a vine! - The plant's common name comes from its wood once used to make textile spindles! ## Special abilities - **Super Climber:** fortune's spindle can cling to walls and trees using aerial roots, helping it climb high for more sunlight. - **Chameleon Foliage:** fortune's spindle has leaves that change to stunning reds, purples, or bronzes in cooler weather, helping it adapt to seasons. - **Tough Survivor:** fortune's spindle can thrive in a wide range of tough conditions, helping it grow almost anywhere. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-600 cm - **Spread:** 30-300 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.5-1 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late spring to early summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits small flowers for nectar. - **Eaten by:** [White-tailed deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — Browses on leaves and stems. - **Parasitizes:** Red wax scale (*Ceroplastes rubens*) — Feeds on plant sap. ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Variegated](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/variegated): Pertaining to plants with leaves or petals exhibiting different colors in patches or stripes. - [Poisonous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/poisonous): Poisonous organisms produce toxins that can cause harm when ingested, inhaled, or absorbed through contact. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Don't eat the berries, as they can make you feel sick. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify fortune's spindle? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is fortune's spindle? 30-600 cm ### How wide does fortune's spindle spread? 30-300 cm ### How big are the flowers on fortune's spindle? 0.5-1 cm ### When does fortune's spindle bloom? Late spring to early summer ### Is fortune's spindle edible? No ### Is fortune's spindle toxic? Mild ### What is fortune's spindle's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Circleville Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/circleville-historic-district) — Ohio, US · Historic District - [Cleveland Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cleveland-park) — District of Columbia, US · Neighborhood - [Dead Run Stream Valley Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/dead-run-stream-valley-park) — Virginia, US · Park - [Jefferson District Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/jefferson-district-park) — Virginia, US · Park - [Kent Gardens Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kent-gardens-park) — Virginia, US · Park - [Market Square](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/market-square) — Tennessee, US · Historic District [View all places to see fortune's spindle](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/fortunes-spindle) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Fortune's Spindle: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/fortunes-spindle)