About this product

Euonymus fortunei 'Emerald 'n' Gold' – 11cm Pot

Euonymus fortunei 'Emerald 'n' Gold'

Supplied in an 11cm pot (P11)

Plant Highlights: Bright green leaves with golden-yellow margins • Evergreen foliage with pink winter tones • Compact, spreading growth • Suitable for sun or partial shade • Excellent for low hedging, edging and ground cover

Overview

Euonymus fortunei 'Emerald 'n' Gold' is a colourful evergreen shrub valued for its distinctive green and golden-yellow variegated foliage. Its small, glossy leaves have rich emerald-green centres surrounded by broad, irregular golden margins, creating a bright display throughout the year. During colder weather, the golden edges often develop attractive pink or reddish tones, giving the plant an additional seasonal feature.

Naturally bushy and spreading, 'Emerald 'n' Gold' is particularly useful for bringing foliage contrast to borders, low hedges, garden edges and patio containers. It can also be trained against a wall, where its stems may climb with support. Its tolerance of different light conditions and soil types makes it a practical choice for many Irish gardens, provided the ground drains well.

Why We Love It

• Colourful foliage all year: The golden leaf margins bring brightness to planting schemes even when neighbouring shrubs are not flowering.

• Changing winter colours: Cold weather can introduce soft pink and reddish shades to the variegated leaves.

• Useful spreading habit: Its naturally low growth works well for edging pathways, covering bare ground and filling the front of shrub borders.

• Easy to shape: Responds well to light trimming, making it suitable for neat, informal low hedges.

• RHS Award of Garden Merit: Recognised by the Royal Horticultural Society for its ornamental garden qualities.

Plant Details

Growing Guide

Position

Plant in full sun or partial shade for the best balance of foliage colour and healthy growth. Brighter positions generally encourage stronger golden variegation, while light shade is also suitable.

' Emerald 'n' Gold' can tolerate deeper shade, although the foliage may become less colourful. In particularly sunny positions, ensure the soil retains enough moisture to prevent prolonged drying.

Its spreading stems can be allowed to grow naturally as ground cover or lightly trained against a wall or suitable support.

Watering

Water thoroughly after planting and keep the soil evenly moist while the roots establish, particularly during the first growing season.

Once established, water during prolonged dry spells rather than following a fixed schedule. Avoid allowing the soil to become persistently waterlogged.

For container-grown plants, check the compost regularly during warm or windy weather. Water when the upper layer begins to dry and allow excess water to drain freely.

Soil and Compost

Euonymus fortunei 'Emerald 'n' Gold' adapts to a wide range of garden soils, including loam, clay, sand and chalk, provided drainage is adequate.

It grows well in moderately fertile, moisture-retentive but well-drained ground. Improve heavy, compacted soil with organic matter where appropriate, and avoid planting in areas where water stands for long periods during winter.

For containers, use a quality peat-free multipurpose compost with good drainage. Choose a pot with drainage holes and increase the container size as the plant develops.

Hardiness and Winter Care

' Emerald 'n' Gold' has an RHS H5 hardiness rating, indicating tolerance of approximately −15°C to −10°C under suitable conditions.

It is well suited to many Irish gardens and normally retains its foliage throughout winter. Particularly cold or exposed conditions may cause some leaf discolouration or damage, while the pinkish winter tones are a natural seasonal characteristic.

In containers, protect the roots during prolonged severe frost and avoid leaving pots standing in water. Good drainage is particularly important during extended periods of winter rainfall.

Routine Care and Pruning

This shrub generally needs only occasional trimming to maintain a tidy shape.

Prune lightly in late spring or summer to shorten overly long shoots, encourage bushier growth or maintain a low hedge. Avoid cutting back more than necessary if a natural spreading shape is preferred.

Variegated Euonymus can occasionally produce shoots with entirely green leaves. Remove these at their point of origin so that vigorous green growth does not gradually dominate the golden foliage.

Apply an organic mulch around garden-grown plants in spring, keeping it clear of the main stems. Container plants may benefit from a modest application of balanced fertiliser during the growing season.

Perfect For

• Low garden hedging: Can be lightly trimmed into a colourful, informal boundary along paths or planting beds.

• Front-of-border planting: Its spreading foliage creates a bright edge beneath taller shrubs and perennials.

• Evergreen ground cover: Useful for covering open soil in sunny or partially shaded borders.

• Patio containers: The golden variegation provides year-round colour in pots, particularly alongside darker-leaved plants.

• Small gardens and courtyards: Offers lasting foliage interest and can be maintained at a manageable size through light pruning.

Good to Know

' Emerald 'n' Gold' is primarily grown for its colourful foliage rather than its flowers, which are small and rarely a significant feature.

Although it can be kept compact through trimming, its natural habit is spreading, and it may eventually cover a considerably wider area than its original pot size suggests. When grown against a wall, it can develop climbing stems and require occasional control.

Safety: Euonymus is harmful if eaten. Keep plant material away from children and pets who may chew or ingest it, and wear gloves when pruning or handling cut stems.

Product Information

• Product: Euonymus fortunei 'Emerald 'n' Gold'

• Cultivar: 'Emerald 'n' Gold'

• Pot Size: 11cm (P11)

• Supplied Format: Potted evergreen shrub

• Product Barcode / SKU: 8713469691390