I'm thinking I should get rid of the three euonymus alatus in front of my house, and I'd appreciate suggestions for their replacement. They are all in mostly shade, with just a little afternoon sun (the far plant in the picture is the shadiest, and the nearest, the sunniest). I'm looking for something that would look nice against the dark bricks in fall (maybe yellow or light orange) with some architectural interest in winter. This side of the house gets a fair amount of wind in winter, so zone pushing would not be wise. An alternative would be to keep the euonymus and prune them back next spring.
What do you think? Replace or prune? Put in three of the same or different plants?
Thanks, Peg
This message was edited Nov 30, 2008 9:35 AM
Suggestions to replace Euonymus
Three come to mind, but I'm sure there are more.
Cornus alba 'Aurea' ( Tatarian Dogwood )
Philadelphus coronarius 'Aureus' ( Mock Orange)
Pysocarpus opulifolius 'Darts Gold' (Golden Ninebark)
These are gold leaved shrubs for most of the year and appreciate some afternoon shade.
There are probably quite a few cultivars of Viburnums hardy in your zone that will tolerate some shade. Height would have to be the deciding factor. Viburnums can get quite large and while they take some careful pruning it's better to sight them where they can grow to their full potential. Have you shopped your local nurserys to see what they offer?
Thanks for the suggestions. The sun is really a limiting factor - oaks to the south and northwest, so the only sun when the trees are leafed out is in late afternoon. You can kind of judge the sun exposure by the color of the eunymous - the shadiest has essentially very little orangish coloration, and the nearest, the most, but none ever get that full red 'burning bush' look.
I frequent the local nurseries - the problem is I like everything, but I have a hard time visualizing the full grown shrub. The standard thing in my neck of the woods would be to put in arbor vitae.
I have a 'blue muffin' viburnum just around the corner from the nearest eonymus. The yellow fall color is nice, but I haven't gotten many berries, despite having another viburnum dentatum, 'red feather' about forty feet east. I'm all ready second guessing the 'blue muffin' site because of the size. Though it would be nice to put in another viburnum pollinator, I think I'll try to figure out a place away from the house.
You can never have too many viburnums...
I'll offer some other ideas first, though. Your house is screaming for a handsome Common Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) somewhere across that frontage - maybe the far left of your picture. Wonderful fall flowers, good yellow fall color, and attractive winter habit. It can be a large multistemmed shrub or trained up as a small tree. If you are after symmetry, put one on each end of the house. Vernal or Ozark Witch Hazel (Hamamelis vernalis) is also a handsome tough plant that will bloom later in winter, toward spring. It is less of a tree form, more often wanting to be a big rangy shrub. Great fragrance though, when you are really wishing warm weather would waft your way.
I'd underplant the witch hazel with Dwarf Fothergilla (Fothergilla gardenii) or Large Fothergilla (Fothergilla major). These stellar shrubs will give you excellent spring flowers, nice summer foliage, and some great ranges of fall foliage in the reds, oranges, yellows, and burgundies. Check Song Sparrow or Beaver Creek Nursery websites for a full range of cold hardy selections - you wouldn't go wrong with any of them.
Another small tree that should perform well for you, that offers fine winter form, is Pagoda Dogwood (Cornus alternifolia). The stratified horizontal branching habit is so distinctive and unique. It will flower well in your overstory shade, produce bouquets of fruit for fine feathered friends, and fall colors run through yellows, reds, and purples. There are variegated forms which might put some pop in the presentation, like 'Argentea'.
Now for viburnums...
•Viburnum dentatum 'Indian Summer' would be a great partner to your 'Red Feather'. These two selections have had superior deep red fall color performance out of the 25 different clones I've trialed here at the Valley. Blue Muffin® has been rather forlorn in comparison. If you want some yellows and oranges in the arrowwood group, get some of the later flowering forms like Autumn Jazz® and Northern Burgundy® that will extend the flowering, fruiting, and fall color season.
•'Emerald Triumph' would make a great viburnum to take up some of the space presently occupied by those lackluster Euonymus. Hardy to the bone (I think it's a selection out of one of those MN horticulture torture trials), it has great glossy summer foliage which displays oranges, reds, yellows, and purples in fall. With a pollinator, you'll get scads of fruit since it flowers its fool head off. Partner it with a plant like Viburnum lantana 'Mohican' (or 'Variegata', if you like the yellow-streaked foliage types) for pollination.
If you are really after fruit production and showiness therein, the Viburnum trilobum clan is probably best for your climate. There are a bunch of them available, including fine newer selections from Bailey's Nursery and Johnson's Nursery (one called 'Red Wing' that I've tried). These are big plants (like your burning bush) but reward well with reds/yellows/pinks in fall color, and lots of persistent cherry red fruit for the winter.
Peg,
You already have so many wonderful suggestions but as I recently finished a project that included 50+ shrubs in the shade I thought I would add my 2 cents as well.
Disanthus cercidifolius an uncommon relative of Witchhazels has outstanding fall foliage and has done well in a shady, non irrigated woodland area for me.
Viburnum plicatum ‘Popcorn’s’ fall foliage is stunning combined with Itea virginica) 'Henry's Garnet' the color combination is like no other.
I agree with VV about adding some Dwarf Fothergilla to the front border.
Viburnum nudum 'Winterthur' or the smaller(?) Viburnum nudum Brandywine has great fall color and berries….Oh Oh…what about Viburnum setigerum the berries would be beautiful against your beautiful brick home. kt
You are giving Peg some serious zone envy there, kt.
ooops...sorry Peg I was so preoccupied by your beautiful home that I neglected to note your zone. Now who was it on SNL who coined the fraise “Never Mind” ? kt
Thanks, everybody for the suggestions, even the out of zone experiences, kt (helps me plan for my retirement). The good thing about this zone is that I now have about 5-6 months to decide what to do. If I decide to put in something that gets eonymus sized, I think I'll try for some kind of semi-peninsula type thing so they don't run up against the house as much.
V.V. - you did not steer me wrong suggesting 'red feather' last year. Here's a closeup from a couple of days ago. It's growing nicely right under an oak tree and is now all most as tall as I am (which really isn't saying much).
Peg
Nicely done!
Euonymus alatus doesn't respond well to drastic cut backs. And you will need to protect the witchhazel clan of plants from bunnies in the winter, until they are large enough to be out of their reach. Fothergilla is related to witchhazel, and a favorite winter rabbit food.
I like the witch hazel - especially the idea of having flowers this time of year. We do have a lot of bunnies, though, so thanks for the warning. Peg
And more witchhazel here too:
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/fp.php?pid=5764188
This message was edited Nov 7, 2008 4:30 PM
Nice - flowers and snow! Thanks, Peg
Rhododendron? I love mine here in Cleveland (zone 5). Right now they are green and covered with fat juicy buds.
I have some PJM rhododendron just around the corner from where the picture was taken. I thought they stand out against the brick in winter, but they're really kind of purplish, all most exactly the color of the darker bricks, so it's kind of a subtle winter effect. I really like being able to see real, broad leaved plants in winter, and the flowers are beautiful.
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