European spindle
From Freepedia
| European spindle | ||||||||||||||
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| Image:Euonymus europaeus2.jpg European spindle (Euonymus europaeus) | ||||||||||||||
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| Euonymus europaeus L. |
The European spindle (Euonymus europaeus), also known as the common spindle, is a small deciduous tree of the family Celastraceae. It is a popular ornamental shrub in gardens and parks due to its bright pink or purple fruits and attractive autumn colouring, in addition to its resistance to frost and wind.
Description
The European spindle grows up to 3m as a bush, or up to 6m as a small tree.
The leaves are opposite, and are lanceolate to elliptical with a finely serrated edge. In autumn they show a beautiful bright red colour.
The rather inconspicuous flowers (produced between May and June) are small, yellowish green and grow in eightfold umbrals. The capsular fruits (produced between September and October) are red to purple or pink in colour and approximately 1-1.5 cm wide. When ripened, they split open to reveal the orange seeds.
Distribution
It is common throughout much of Europe, particularly in the centre, but is to be found in locations from Ireland and southern Scandinavia in the north, to northern Spain and Sicily in the south, and as far east as Lithuania. It is also to be found in Asia Minor and up to the Caucasus. It has been introduced to North America as an alien species.
The European spindle prefers the edges of forest, hedges and gentle slopes, tending to thrive on nutrient-rich, chalky and salt-poor soils.
Toxicity
The fruits are poisonous, containing amongst other substances, the alkaloids theobromine and caffeine, as well as the extremely bitter terpene. Poisonings are more common in young children, who are enticed by the brightly-coloured fruits. Ingestion can result in liver and kidney damage and even death.
