# Japanese spindle tree (*Euonymus japonicus*)

The Japanese spindle tree is a lovely shrub with shiny green leaves. It can grow tall and is often used in gardens to make them look beautiful and full of life.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 2/5 · Low
- **Snaps:** 1
- **Habitat:** Urban areas

![Japanese spindle tree](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Euonymus_japonicus.flowers.jpg&width=800)

Photo: CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Euonymus_japonicus.flowers.jpg)

## Appearance

The Japanese spindle tree has very glossy, dark green oval leaves that often remain on the plant all year, giving it a vibrant appearance. It produces small, inconspicuous green-white flowers, followed by striking pink capsules that split open to reveal bright orange seeds.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Celastrales
- **Family:** Celastraceae
- **Genus:** Euonymus

## Interesting facts

- It is often used to create dense, evergreen hedges in gardens.
- Its fruit pods dramatically split open to reveal vibrant orange seeds inside!
- The plant's incredibly hard wood was once used to make skewers and small tools.
- This adaptable plant can grow well even in windy spots near the ocean.

## Special abilities

- **Year-round Green!:** The Japanese spindle tree has thick, shiny leaves that stay green even in winter, helping it make food and grow when other plants are bare.
- **Super Hardy Survivor!:** Japanese spindle tree can grow in many tough places, like salty coastal areas or poor soils, helping it survive where other plants can't.
- **Toxic Berry Trap!:** The bright pink berries contain harmful compounds that warn animals not to eat them, protecting its precious seeds from being eaten.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 200-500 cm
- **Spread:** 100-300 cm
- **Flower Size:** 0.5-1 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Late spring to early summer
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** Moderate
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** honeybee (*Apis mellifera*) — collecting nectar and pollen
- **Eats:** buff-tip moth (*Phalera bucephala*) — caterpillars munch on its leaves
- **Eaten by:** [common blackbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-blackbird) (*Turdus merula*) — birds consume its colorful berries

## Traits

- [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.
- [Evergreen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/evergreen): Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once.
- [Fruit Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-bearing): Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds.
- [Fall Color](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fall-color): Fall color refers to the seasonal change in foliage pigmentation, primarily in deciduous plants, displaying vibrant hues.
- [Longevous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/longevous): This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind.
- [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

Do not eat the berries from this plant, as they can make you feel sick.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Japanese spindle tree?

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 Japanese spindle tree?

200-500 cm

### How wide does Japanese spindle tree spread?

100-300 cm

### How big are the flowers on Japanese spindle tree?

0.5-1 cm

### When does Japanese spindle tree bloom?

Late spring to early summer

### Is Japanese spindle tree edible?

No

### Is Japanese spindle tree toxic?

Moderate

### What is Japanese spindle tree's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [City of Fairfax Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/city-of-fairfax-historic-district) — Virginia, US · Historic District

## 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*)

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Source: [Japanese spindle tree: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/japanese-spindle-tree)