Euonymus 'Coloratus'

Euonymus fortunei 'Coloratus': Spreading Evergreen with Fiery Fall Flair

Tough, versatile, and seasonally dynamic, Euonymus 'Coloratus'—commonly known as Purple Wintercreeper—offers a durable ground-hugging form with rich green foliage that transforms to deep reddish-purple in fall. Its glossy, ovate leaves form a dense mat that spreads steadily, suppressing weeds and anchoring slopes or borders with evergreen presence. Hardy and adaptable, it clings well to surfaces as a trailing or climbing vine, but is most often used as a reliable groundcover where other plants may struggle.

Plant Characteristics:

• Height: 15–20 cm (as groundcover)
• Spread: 90–150 cm and slowly expanding
• Flower Colour: Insignificant, greenish-white
• Flowering Period: Early summer
• Foliage: Glossy dark green turning rich reddish-purple in fall; evergreen
• Sunlight Requirements: Full sun to full shade
• Soil Requirements: Well-drained soil; tolerant of poor, dry, or compacted sites

Uses and Benefits: 'Coloratus' is ideal for stabilizing slopes, covering difficult sites, and underplanting shrubs or trees where dense, year-round coverage is needed. It brings evergreen texture to sun or shade and offers brilliant fall colour that holds well into winter. Hardy, deer resistant, and drought tolerant once established, it’s a functional and visually rewarding problem-solver for a variety of landscapes.

Companion Plants: Pair Euonymus 'Coloratus' with Heliopsis helianthoides 'Burning Hearts', whose dark foliage and fiery blooms stand tall above the evergreen mat. Add Aster oblongifolius 'October Skies' for late-season clouds of blue that echo the autumn tones of the euonymus. Complete the design with Panicum virgatum 'Shenandoah', whose upright red-tinged foliage mirrors the vine’s fall colour and adds vertical movement.

Care Instructions: Plant in sun or shade in well-drained soil. Water regularly during the first growing season; once established, it is highly drought tolerant. Prune as needed in early spring to contain spread and shape the plant. Avoid planting near woodlands or naturalized areas where spreading may be a concern.

History: A cultivated form of Euonymus fortunei, native to East Asia, 'Coloratus' has become a widely used landscape groundcover due to its adaptability, vigorous growth, and dramatic seasonal foliage colour. Its proven durability has earned it a place in both formal and functional plantings.

Final Thoughts: With evergreen coverage and a brilliant fall show, Euonymus 'Coloratus' is a workhorse groundcover with ornamental payoff—bringing colour, structure, and low-maintenance reliability to challenging garden spaces.