Purpleleaf wintercreeper

Sun

Full sun to full shade; winter colour is usually strongest with some direct sun.

Water

Moderate; water regularly while establishing, then during prolonged dry spells.

Soil

Adaptable to clay, loam or sandy soil, provided it drains well; tolerates a broad range of soil pH.

Height

0.5-1 ft (0.15-0.3 m) as groundcover; climbing stems can reach 20 ft (6 m) or more.

Spread

5-10 ft (1.5-3 m) or more; rooting stems can eventually cover a much larger area.

Foliage

Evergreen. Small, opposite, oval leaves with finely toothed edges; dark glossy green in warmer months, becoming burgundy-purple in autumn and winter. Leaves may remain greener in deep shade or mild winters.

Growth

Fast once established.

Care needed

High

• Drought tolerant
• Heat tolerant
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Very tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   0.2 ft (0.06 m)

2. After 1 year

   0.5 ft (0.16 m)

3. After 2 years

   0.7 ft (0.22 m)

   full size

About 2 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Toxic

Invasive in

the US and Canada

In the garden

Spreads vigorously: plan to contain it.

Growth rate

Fast

• Check local invasive-plant guidance before planting; do not plant where it is invasive or restricted.
• Water deeply during the first growing season whenever the upper soil starts to dry.
• Apply a thin mulch around new plants, keeping it clear of their stems.
• Avoid routine feeding; excessive fertility encourages more vigorous spread.
• Inspect the edges several times during the growing season and remove rooted runners.
• Keep stems off trees, fences and buildings, and dispose of trimmings so they cannot root.

Pruning. Trim in spring after the worst frost to remove winter-damaged growth and keep the mat low. Remove escaping or climbing stems whenever seen, including their rooted sections; do not let climbing shoots mature and produce seed.

Spring

Check for winter damage and trim back to healthy leafy growth.

Spring

Where planting is appropriate, plant into moist, well-drained soil and water thoroughly.

Early summer

Inspect stems and leaf undersides for euonymus scale; remove badly infested shoots.

Summer

Water new plants during dry weather and pull up runners extending beyond the planting area.

Autumn

Remove climbing growth and any fruiting stems before birds can spread the seed.

Winter

Check that stems have not reached nearby trees or crossed into adjoining beds.

• Where non-invasive, use as a clipped evergreen carpet within a bed bordered by paving, checking regularly for escaping stems.
• Pair with pale paving or light-coloured stone to highlight its dark winter foliage.
• Combine with upright ornamental grasses for contrasting leaf shape and winter structure.
• Grow in a large container for trailing foliage, keeping stems clear of surrounding soil.

Garden styles it suits: Traditional, Formal, Urban city garden, Winter interest and Green on green.

Plant it with: Japanese forest grass, Christmas fern, Lenten rose, Japanese sedge and Snowdrops.

Wildlife: Mature climbing growth can flower and produce fruit eaten by birds, which disperse the seeds. Despite this food source, escaped plants can smother woodland ground flora and climb trees, reducing habitat quality.

• Euonymus scale: look for white or brown scale covers on stems and leaves, with yellowing above them. Prune out heavily infested growth and use a labelled horticultural oil at the appropriate stage.
• Root rot in waterlogged soil: improve drainage and avoid frequent watering; remove plants with extensively decayed roots.
• Winter scorch: exposed leaves can brown in cold, drying winds. Water during dry autumn weather and trim damaged growth in spring.
• Uncontrolled spread: runners root at their nodes and climbing stems may eventually fruit. Remove rooted escapes promptly and replace the planting if containment becomes impractical.

Toxic if eaten by people, cats, dogs or horses. All parts should be treated as poisonous, particularly the fruit and seeds; ingestion can cause vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain, with potentially serious effects after larger amounts. Seek medical or veterinary advice after ingestion.

Where it spreads. Invasive across much of the eastern and midwestern United States, including Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, Indiana and Missouri; it also escapes cultivation and is considered locally invasive in southern Ontario, Canada. Both rooting stems and bird-dispersed seed spread it. Check local restrictions before buying or planting.

• English ivy (Hedera helix)

  Juvenile ivy usually has lobed leaves arranged alternately; wintercreeper has unlobed, finely toothed leaves in opposite pairs.

• Lesser periwinkle (Vinca minor)

  Periwinkle has smooth-edged leaves and conspicuous blue-purple flowers; wintercreeper has finely toothed leaves and clings to vertical surfaces with aerial roots.

• Japanese spindle (Euonymus japonicus)

  Japanese spindle forms an upright shrub with generally larger, thicker leaves; wintercreeper produces trailing, rooting stems and can climb.

The species name fortunei honours plant collector Robert Fortune, while 'Coloratus' refers to its coloured foliage and wintercreeper describes its evergreen, creeping habit.

Propagation. Roots readily where stems touch soil and can be propagated from rooted sections or semi-ripe cuttings in summer. Do not propagate or share it where it is invasive or restricted.

Accepted botanical name

Euonymus fortunei

In the US and Canada

Introduced in Canada and the lower 48 states.

Native range

Assam, China North-Central, China South-Central, China Southeast, Hainan, Japan, Jawa, Korea, Laos, Lesser Sunda Is., Manchuria and Myanmar.

Measured

Soil pH 5 to 7.5. Average height 305 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.