We tend to think of evergreen Euonymus as rather tough, practical, utilitarian shrubs but they can be interesting and colourful too.
Euonymus japonicus ‘Happiness’ is a relatively dwarf evergreen and its special feature is its foliage. The new growth is pale green then fading to pale yellow and maturing to a rich golden yellow before; the foliage colour makes a colourful contrast with the stems which remain green. Eventually the foliage turns dark green, creating the ideal background against which the bright new foliage is shown off.
Developing into a low mound about 8in/20cm high and 10in/25cm wide after three years, eventually it reaches about 24in/60cm high and 30in/75cm wide. So it’s relatively slow growing, but is also robust and tolerant of a wide range of conditions.This is a good plant for containers in a contemporary urban environment, for town and commercial landscapes, and indeed anywhere that a low dome with a long season of colour is needed. Happy in any reasonable soil, ‘Happines’ thrives best in partial shade but will also do well in full sun as long as it never gets too dry.
‘Happiness’ was found in Holland in the autumn of 2005, it is a sport of the widey grown E. japonicus ‘Microphyllus Aueovariegatus’.
You can order plants of Euonymus japonicus ‘Happiness’ from these RHS Plant Finder nurseries.