Winter Creeper (Euonymus fortunei): Versatile Evergreen Vine

• Evergreen woody vine
• Zones 3–17, 28–41
• Full sun, partial shade, or full shade
• Moderate water

Some forms are compact shrubs, but ground-cover types are trailing and vinelike, rooting as they spread and climbing when they encounter a vertical surface. Common winter creeper (E. f. radicans) has thick, oval dark green leaves up to an inch long. 'Coloratus' foliage turns dark purple in fall and winter. Numerous other varieties offer variegated leaves.

Tolerant of a wide range of soils. Scale can be a problem. Space 3–5 feet apart depending on ultimate size and desired fill-in speed. When plantings look rangy, mow or shear in late winter or early spring.