Wintercreeper Plant Care

Wintercreeper (Euonymus fortunei) belongs to the Celastraceae family within the Euonymus genus. Wintercreeper is native to east Asia, including China, Korea, the Philippines and Japan. Wintercreeper is also known as Fortune's Spindle, Evergreen Euonymus.

Wintercreeper displays an upright, dense shrub growth habit, reaching up to 6 ft tall with a spread of approximately 4 ft. Wintercreeper produces small, inconspicuous greenish flowers in clusters.

Leaf size: approximately 3 inches.

Water a young or newly planted Wintercreeper every 7–14 days, soaking the whole root zone, until it is established — usually one to two growing seasons. Established trees mainly need water during long dry spells. In a container, water whenever the top few centimetres of soil are dry.

Wintercreeper thrives in full sun to part shade.

Euonymus fortunei tolerates temperatures of 50–80°F. Wintercreeper prefers humidity levels of 40–70%.

Well-draining loamy soil with added compost for nutrients. Good drainage is essential for Wintercreeper to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.

Feed Wintercreeper every 6 months during the growing season with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer at the rate on the label. Established trees in good soil often need little extra feeding, so let weak growth or pale foliage guide you.

Stop feeding by late summer so new growth can harden before winter.

The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.

Choose a spot with full sun to part shade and well-draining loamy soil with added compost for nutrients. Avoid low spots where water collects after rain.

Wintercreeper is suited to USDA Zone 12a.

Plant container-grown or balled-and-burlapped trees in spring or early autumn, setting the root flare at soil level, and water well after planting.

Wintercreeper can spread to about 4 ft (1.2 m) and reach about 6 ft (2 m) tall. Space plants about 4 ft (1.2 m) apart so mature crowns don't crowd each other, and plant at least half that distance from buildings, fences and paths.

Planning a row or hedge? Try the tree spacing calculator.

Prune Wintercreeper while it is dormant in late winter: first remove dead, damaged and crossing branches, then thin lightly for shape.

If it flowers in spring, prune right after flowering instead so you don't remove next year's buds. Never take off more than about a quarter of the tree in one year.

Wintercreeper is frost-tender (hardy to USDA zone 12). In colder areas grow it in a container and move it to a bright, frost-free place before the first frost.

Wintercreeper can be propagated through softwood cuttings in spring, semi-hardwood cuttings in summer, seeds in fall.

See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.

Wintercreeper is susceptible to scale insects, spider mites, aphids. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.

Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.

Wintercreeper grows outdoors in USDA Zone 12a. It survives winters down to planting zone 12a. Wintercreeper is native to east Asia, including China, Korea, the Philippines and Japan. In cooler regions, grow Wintercreeper as a houseplant or bring it indoors before the first frost.