Why is wintercreeper a problem?

Since it threatens native plants, invasive wintercreeper also threatens native butterflies. It can even climb up shrubs and trees to 20 feet (7 m.) thus, smothering them and preventing photosynthesis, which can eventually weaken or kill the plant.

How tall does wintercreeper get?

Wintercreeper can climb up to 66 feet as a juvenile plant, if it has support, though it generally stops creeping once it reaches full maturity. Without support, it will spread out as ground cover; or it can be kept trimmed as a shrub about 2 feet tall.

Is wintercreeper invasive?

The Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) named winter creeper a Tier 1 invasive plant, as of February 2018.

Is wintercreeper a shrub?

Wintercreeper is a versatile evergreen shrub that can double as a climbing vine. Its ornamental appearance can be a welcome addition to a garden so long as you keep it away from other plants. As an invasive species, it can sometimes conflict with other root systems in your garden.

Does wintercreeper stay green in winter?

It is the hardiest of all evergreen climbers. Related varieties of wintercreeper: The leaves of Euonymus Fortunei Colorata turn dark purple in fall and winter. The common wintercreeper (E. F. radicans) is all green and is used both as a ground cover and as a climbing shrub.

How do you control wintercreeper?

Wintercreeper leaves can be sprayed with a triclopyr solution (sold as Garlon 3a, Triclopyr 3, and many other trade names), which is generally more effective than glyphosate at killing wintercreeper.

What does wintercreeper look like?

Plant: evergreen woody vine or sprawling shrub with stems that are green when young, becoming light gray and corky with age. Leaves: opposite, glossy, dark green, oval, slightly toothed, with light-colored veins, about 1-2½ in.

Is wintercreeper an evergreen?

Noted for its luminous and attractive foliage, Euonymus fortunei ‘Emerald ‘n’ Gold’ (Wintercreeper) is a low-growing, broadleaf, evergreen shrub with a spreading habit.

What kind of damage does wintercreeper do?

Wintercreeper forms dense groundcover and outcompetes native plants. This is harmful to our native wildlife, including many species of birds and insects, which rely on native plants for food and other resources.

Does wintercreeper need full sun?

How to Plant Wintercreeper. Wintercreeper can be planted in USDA plant hardiness zones 4 through 9 and will do well in full sun or partial shade.

When should I plant wintercreeper?

Planting Time This hardy evergreen plant can be planted from early spring to late fall. Plant it in full sun to shade in well-draining but slightly moist, soil. Fertilize purple wintercreeper, sometimes known as purpleleaf wintercreeper, in spring, but only if growth seems slow.

How far apart should I plant wintercreeper?

Space plants 2 to 4 feet apart. Keep the soil around winter creeper uniformly moist with regular waterings and adding a layer of bark mulch. Fertilize in spring with a layer of compost and an organic plant food. When growing winter creeper as a vine, support the stems with a trellis or arbor.

Is wintercreeper a shrub or tree?

Euonymus fortunei (Wintercreeper) is a fast-growing, evergreen shrub, vine or groundcover of variable size. It can grow as a woody, clinging vine climbing to 40-70 ft. (12-21m) with the support of aerial roots, or it can form a dense groundcover or low shrub.

When does wintercreeper Bloom?

This hardy, attractive plant bears tiny yellowish flowers from May through July, and can be used as a low hedge or wall covering. Many people with rock barrier walls dangle wintercreeper vines over the edge for color.

How do you identify a wintercreeper plant?

Identification: Wintercreeper is variable in form, and can be a spreading groundcover, a shrub, or a clinging vine. The juvenile form of this species is a groundcover that spreads horizontally, forming new roots where stems touch the ground, and is rarely over 1’ tall.

Is wintercreeper Euonymus evergreen?

Wintercreeper Euonymus. Named after plant explorer Robert Fortune, Wintercreeper Euonymus, or Euonymus fortunei, is an evergreen shrub that, as its name suggests, will creep higher and higher as it grows.