Euonymus, Wintercreeper 'Harlequin'

Destroy it now! After 6 years in a semi-moist shady area it has moved into bedding areas and I fear the lawn and brick on house is next....Read More For years I was able to trim/edge to control, but now close to 70 years old face the reality that this back breaking work semi-annually is not realistic. I have spent 2 weeks picking, digging with a shovel and grubbing on hands and knees in my excellent moist soil. I can't believe this was written into my yard plans and I paid for this monster. My tag said " Euonymus F. Harlequin- low growing variety with a beautiful heavily variegated foliage of green and ivory. Makes a nice groundcover, slow growing". Nowhere on the tag did it mention it was a Wintercreeper, one of the top most invasive plants in MO. I take the clippings and roots to our community burn pile. Do not toss into the woods. After 2 weeks still have another 2 weeks to compete and I initially put in only 5, 1 gallon plants. I tried to spray with Roundup multiple times with no effect at all

Like all cultivars of this species, it frequently sports to other forms. These forms need to be cut out when they appear, as they can out...Read Morecompete the original cultivar.

I gave up planting this species before I realized its invasive potential, because I see so many plantings infested and disfigured or even killed by euonymus scale.

Once established, this species can be very difficult to get rid of. It's resistant to most herbicides, and regrows from small pieces of root.

It is naturalized in most of the eastern and central states. The US Forest Service, the National Park Service, the Nature Conservancy, and other organizations concerned with the preservation of natural areas in North America all have expressed concern about the invasive impact of this species on our environment.

It appears to be most destructive in Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri, and neighboring states.

In Massachusetts, I often find seedlings when weeding properties where it isn't cultivated. Birds distribute the seeds widely. Cutting back climbing stems will temporarily reduce seeding.