Euonymus japonicus ‘Green Spire’ Boxwood Substitute

‘Green Spire’ Japanese Euonymus is a narrow, multi-stemmed shrub that is excellent as an evergreen hedge and plant for small spaces. The species Euonymus japonicus is native to Japan, China, and Korea, and the ‘Green Spire’ cultivar was discovered in Japan in 1978 by U.S. National Arboretum staff members. They brought back cuttings to propagate, and it was first distributed under the name ‘Bekomasaki’ in 1982 and then under ‘Green Spire’ in 1991.
This shrub is narrow and densely branched, with glossy, 3-inch, elliptical leaves that hold their dark green color beautifully year-round. Insignificant, 4-petaled, greenish-white flowers bloom in late spring and ripen into pink fruit with bright red arils in the fall. ‘Green Spire’ grows moderately fast, at 12″ a year, reaching dimensions of 6’-8′ × 2′ in ten years. It is a vigorous, tough plant that is outstanding for hedges, foundation plantings, privacy screens, borders, and containers, and it is an excellent substitute for boxwood.
‘Green Spire’ grows in a range of full sun to full shade, but prefers dappled or bright shade, especially in the hotter regions of its 6 to 9 hardiness zones. It is easily transplanted and flourishes in rich, humusy soil but is adaptable to many soil types as long as they are well-draining. Water the shrub at planting and then weekly for a year until the roots become established. It does not tolerate soggy areas or standing water, so ensure the site has well-draining soil. It takes well to pruning and can be cut back occasionally in late winter or early spring to keep it in shape. ‘Green Spire’ is generally considered deer-resistant, salt-tolerant, and appropriate for coastal exposure. However, its leaves and arils are toxic to people and pets, such as cats and dogs.
Companion plants need to have the same or similar cultural requirements as ‘Green Spire,’ so shrubs and smaller plants that can thrive in sun to partial shade are perfect for planting nearby. Hollies, junipers, lilacs, and dogwoods are attractive as backdrops.
Flowering shrubs, such as weigelas, abelias, potentillas, rhododendrons, azaleas, and mountain laurels, provide color and texture against the dark green of ‘Green Spire.’ Perennials, like ornamental grasses, astilbe, lithodora, lilyturf, ferns, hellebores, coral bells, lily-of-the-valley, caladiums, lungwort, bleeding hearts, and foamflowers, complement the shrub.
Ground covers, such as hostas, periwinkle, creeping phlox, pachysandra, creeping jenny, creeping thyme, dead nettle, stonecrop, mondo grass, or Irish moss, add a vibrant living carpet when planted underneath and around ‘Green Spire.’