Issued July 1993 Biological Control of Euonymus Scale Plants in the Euonymus family are used in many parts of the United States as ornamental specimens in the landscape. This is an extremely versatile group of woody ornamentals that come in a variety of growth habits and foliage colors. Growth habits include shrubs, climbing vines, ground covers, and small trees. The two most common species, Euonymus fortunei and E. japonica, are evergreen, meaning they retain their foliage throughout the winter.
Many varieties have dark green foliage, although variegated types are also very popular.
Foliage color on the variegated varieties is usually a combination of dark green with other shades of green or yellow or white. The leaves of two common deciduous species change color from dark green to red in the fall prior to leaf drop. In addition to the attractive foliage, several types bear bright red or orange fruits, a characteristic that further enhances the plants' attractiveness. Euonymus plants rank 12th among the top 20 common ornamentals planted in landscape settings. But their popularity is declining because these plants are often attacked by an insect pest called euonymus scale.