Family: Celastraceae
Author: L.
Bibliography: Sp. Pl.: 197 (1753)
Year: 1753
Status: accepted
Rank: species
Genus: Euonymus
Vegetable: False
Observations: Europe to Caucasus
Description
The Spindle, scientifically known as Euonymus europaeus, is a deciduous shrub or small tree belonging to the Celastraceae family. This adaptable plant is native to a vast region extending from Europe to the Caucasus, where it is commonly found in woodland edges, hedgerows, and scrublands.
Characterized by its robust and hardy nature, the Spindle can reach heights of up to 6 meters. Its leaves are finely serrated and transform into a striking reddish hue in the autumn, adding a splash of color to the landscape. During spring and early summer, the shrub produces small, inconspicuous greenish-yellow flowers that, while not showy, play a crucial role in the plant’s reproductive cycle.
One of the most distinctive features of Euonymus europaeus is its fruit. In the late summer and autumn, the plant bears bright pink and orange capsule-like berries that split open to reveal seeds encased in a fleshy aril. These visually appealing fruits are a vital food source for birds, who help disperse the seeds.
Historically, the Spindle’s hard, dense wood has been utilized for making spindles for spinning wool, giving the plant its common name. Beyond its practical uses, the Spindle is also valued in ornamental horticulture for its vivid autumn foliage and striking berries.
Euonymus europaeus is not only significant for its aesthetic and practical applications but also as a part of the ecosystem. It supports various wildlife species, from pollinating insects visiting its flowers to birds feeding on its berries.
In summary, the Spindle is a versatile and ecologically important plant that brings beauty and utility to both natural and cultivated environments across Europe and into the Caucasus region. With a rich history and a significant role in supporting biodiversity, Euonymus europaeus continues to be cherished by botanists, gardeners, and nature enthusiasts alike.
Common Names
Dan: almindelig benved, benved
Eng: common spindle, european spindletree, spindle, spindletree, european euonymus, european spindle-tree, spindle-tree
Deu: gemeines pfaffenhütchen, gewöhnliches pfaffenhütchen, pfaffenhütchen
Swe: benved, euroopansorvarinpensas
Fra: bonnet de prêtre, fusain d’europe, fusain deurope
Fin: euroopansorvarinpensas
Nno: spolebusk
Nob: spolebusk
Nld: wilde kardinaalsmuts
Cym: llwyn addurnol, pisgwydden, piswydd, piswydden, pren cas gan gythraul, pren clefyd melyn
En: Spindle, Spindletree, European spindletree, Common spindle, European spindle, Common spindle tree, European spindle tree, European spindle-tree, Skewer wood, Spindle tree, Spindleberry, European euonymus, Spindle-Tree, Common Spindle-tree
Ar: مضاض أوروبي
Hy: Իլենի եվրոպական
Az: Avropa gərməşovu
Eu: Basaerramu
Be: Брузгліна еўрапейская
Bg: Европейски чашкодрян
Ca: Boneter europeu, Evònim europeu
Zh: 歐衛矛
Hr: Obična kurika
Cs: Brsen evropský, Brslen evropský
Da: Almindelig Benved, Benved
Nl: Wilde kardinaalsmuts, Gewone Kardinaalshoed
Et: Harilik kikkapuu
Fi: Euroopansorvarinpensas
Fr: Bonnet de prêtre, Fusain d’Europe, Fusain deurope, Fusain, Bois à lardoires, Bois-carré, Bonnet-carré, Bonnet-d’évêque, Bonnet-de-prêtre, Caprenotier, Cherme, Garais
De: Gewöhnliches Pfaffenhütchen, Europäisches Pfaffenhütchen, Pfaffenhütchen, Gemeines Pfaffenhütchen, Gemeiner Spindelstrauch, Gewöhnliches Pfaffenkäppchen
Hu: Közönséges kecskerágó
Is: Beinviður
Io: Fuzeno
It: Berretto da prete, Corallini, Fusaggine comune, Cappel di prete, Fusaria comune
Lt: Europinis ožekšnis
Mk: Курика
No: Spolebusk
Nb: Spolebusk
Nn: Spolebusk
Pl: Trzmielina pospolita
Ru: Beresklet evropejskij, Бересклет европейский
Sr: Курика
Sk: Bršlen európsky
Es: Bonetero, Navadna trdoleska, Boj montés, Evónimo
Sv: Benved, Euroopansorvarinpensas
Uk: Бруслина європейська
Cy: Piswydden piswydd, Llwyn Addurnol, Pisgwydden, Piswydd, Piswydden, Pren Cas Gan Gythraul, Pren Clefyd Melyn
Synonyms
- Euonymus angustifolius (Gilib.)
- Euonymus europaeus var. australis (Kom.)
- Euonymus suberosus (Klokov)
- Euonymus vulgaris var. microphyllus (Beck)
- Euonymus multiflorus (Opiz)
- Euonymus quadrigonus (Gueldenst. ex Ledeb.)
- Euonymus europaeus var. suberosus ((Klokov) Tzvelev)
- Euonymus europaeus var. fibrillifer ((Fisch. & C.A.Mey.) Medw. ex N.Busch)
- Euonymus pubescens (Steven)
- Euonymus floribundus (Steven)
- Euonymus europaeus var. tenuifolius (L.)
- Euonymus moldavicus (Klokov)
- Euonymus odessanus (Klokov)
- Euonymus europaeus subsp. tenuifolius ((L.) Ehrh.)
- Euonymus europaeus f. bulgaricus ((Velen.) Gančev)
- Euonymus bulgaricus (Velen.)
- Euonymus europaeus f. microphyllus ((Beck) Gančev)
- Euonymus europaeus subsp. subvelutinus ((Săvul. & Rayss) Grosset)
- Euonymus europaeus f. nanus ((Lodd. ex Loudon) Besser)
- Euonymus europaeus f. angustifolius (Gančev)
- Euonymus europaeus var. angustifolius (Schultz)
- Euonymus europaeus subsp. moldavicus ((Klokov) Grosset)
- Euonymus europaeus f. scaberulus ((Beck) Jovan.)
- Euonymus europaeus f. atrorubens ((C.K.Schneid.) Hegi)
- Euonymus vulgaris var. atrorubens (C.K.Schneid.)
- Euonymus europaeus var. pumilus (G.Don)
- Euonymus europaeus var. albus (Weston)
- Euonymus europaeus f. albus ((Weston) Rehder)
- Euonymus europaeus var. nanus (Lodd. ex Loudon)
- Euonymus czernjaevii (Klokov)
- Euonymus medirossicus (Klokov)
- Euonymus medius (Kit.)
- Euonymus europaeus var. intermedius (Gaudin)
- Euonymus europaeus aldenhamensis (Gibbs)
- Euonymus europaeus f. aldenhamensis ((Gibbs) Rehder)
- Euonymus europaeus var. aldenhamensis ((Gibbs) Bean)
- Euonymus vulgaris (Mill.)
- Euonymus europaeus var. atropurpureus (Mouill.)
- Euonymus europaeus f. atropurpureus ((Mouill.) Hegi)
Distribution
- Albania (native)
- Austria (native)
- Baltic States (native)
- Belarus (native)
- Belgium (native)
- Bulgaria (native)
- Central European Rus (native)
- Corse (native)
- Czechoslovakia (native)
- Denmark (native)
- East European Russia (native)
- France (native)
- Germany (native)
- Great Britain (native)
- Greece (native)
- Hungary (native)
- Ireland (native)
- Italy (native)
- Krym (native)
- Netherlands (native)
- North Caucasus (native)
- Northwest European R (native)
- Norway (native)
- Poland (native)
- Portugal (native)
- Romania (native)
- Sardegna (native)
- Sicilia (native)
- South European Russi (native)
- Spain (native)
- Sweden (native)
- Switzerland (native)
- Transcaucasus (native)
- Turkey (native)
- Turkey-in-Europe (native)
- Ukraine (native)
- Yugoslavia (native)
- Alabama (introduced)
- Arkansas (introduced)
- Connecticut (introduced)
- Illinois (introduced)
- Indiana (introduced)
- Kentucky (introduced)
- Maine (introduced)
- Maryland (introduced)
- Masachusettes (introduced)
- Michigan (introduced)
- Mississippi (introduced)
- Missouri (introduced)
- Nebraska (introduced)
- New Brunswick (introduced)
- New Hampshire (introduced)
- New Jersey (introduced)
- New York (introduced)
- New Zealand North (introduced)
- New Zealand South (introduced)
- Ohio (introduced)
- Ontario (introduced)
- Pennsylvania (introduced)
- Prince Edward I. (introduced)
- Québec (introduced)
- Rhode I. (introduced)
- Tadzhikistan (introduced)
- Tasmania (introduced)
- Tennessee (introduced)
- Turkmenistan (introduced)
- Utah (introduced)
- Uzbekistan (introduced)
- Vermont (introduced)
- Virginia (introduced)
- Wisconsin (introduced)
Additional Images
Fruit
Taken Nov 17, 2019 by loose Maxime (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 21, 2017 by Ksenia Babich (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 6, 2019 by Dieter Wagner (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 25, 2021 by Dieter Wagner (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 20, 2019 by ORDUÑA Jose Maria (cc-by-sa)
Bark
Taken Nov 29, 2022 by Tellier Gael (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 19, 2020 by Ahmed Ghedjatti (cc-by-sa)
Taken Dec 26, 2021 by Tristan Jaton-Maria (cc-by-sa)
Taken Dec 16, 2021 by Kai Best (cc-by-sa)
Taken Dec 5, 2021 by Sabina Hartmann (cc-by-sa)
Habit
Taken Oct 26, 2021 by Ana María Garrido (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 13, 2022 by David Hocken (cc-by-sa)
Taken Dec 16, 2021 by Kai Best (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 12, 2021 by Jacques Zuber (cc-by-sa)
Taken Dec 5, 2021 by Sabina Hartmann (cc-by-sa)
Leaf
Taken Oct 12, 2021 by Jacques Zuber (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 16, 2021 by Patrick Nard (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 11, 2021 by Nicolas Remeur (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 10, 2017 by Fejul Xeto (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 22, 2021 by David B. (cc-by-sa)
Flower
Taken May 2, 2019 by Manu Pacha (cc-by-sa)
Taken Dec 13, 2020 by Petr Nájemník (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 11, 2021 by Nicolas Remeur (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 2, 2019 by Manu Pacha (cc-by-sa)
Taken Dec 6, 2021 by Jardin Des Cocagnous (cc-by-sa)
Other
Taken Sep 23, 2022 by Georgia C (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 31, 2020 by Dieter Wagner (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 3, 2021 by High Treeson (cc-by-sa)
Taken Dec 8, 2021 by Dieter Wagner (cc-by-sa)
Taken Dec 9, 2021 by Bel Plant Collector (cc-by-sa)
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Sources
- WFO (No URL)
- IPNI (No URL)
- GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/3169131)
- POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:160876-1)
- PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Euonymus europaeus L.)
Specifications
Growth habit: Shrub, Tree
Growth
Ph maximum: 7.5
Ph minimum: 7.0
Light: 6
Atmospheric humidity: 6
Bloom months: [‘apr’, ‘may’]
Soil nutriments: 5