Euonymous: The Worst Shrub to Plant in Asheville

I want to be nasty about this one, I really do. Euonymous suckered me in, enticing me with the bright yellow and green mix of the foliage, a unique option to add some color for a foundation-type evergreen.  All was well, for a few years.

It takes a while until the problems start to happen. Leaves drop, and scale slowly creeps in. It starts by looking ‘rough around the edges’ for a year or two before it’s decimated like the picture above.

The main problem is scale, and believe me, that’s enough. Scale is one of the hardest pests to deal with, enough that wholesale nurseries will stop growing plants that get it rather than try and treat it.  Think big burn pile.  That’s not all though:  Aphids, powder mildew, and anthracnose can also be a problem.

Don’t fall for the pretty face of euonymus like I did.  It just might be the worst shrub to plant in Asheville.

What should you plant instead?

If you are looking for evergreen yellow foliage, try Sunshine Ligustrum, arborvitae like Fire Chief, or perhaps Brass Buckle holly if you need a more compact foundation shrub. You can’t go wrong with arborvitae or most holly’s for evergreens here in the Asheville area.