Firebush (Euonymus alatus)

[Bnana]

I would add one thing to this excellent description. Critters do love to chew on the bark of these during winter storage. When I was in Wisconsin I lost all of mine over a few winters because I couldn't keep the mice/voles/whatever out. The preferentially ring-barked my Euonymus....lost a crab apple too.

The bark is eaten by many rodents and rabbits. But this is an exceptional species in that that is no issue. They very often get ring-barked in the wild but the essential vessels are much deeper and they survive without any problem.
Nearly all Euonymus in some Dutch dune areas are ringed annually by rabbits in winter and completely defoliated by Yponomeuta caterpillars in spring. But they are still completely fine.

 

[Paradox]

I saw on Suthin was selling one and it was a nice tree.

I've got one I am working on. It's getting there but still needs refinement.

 

[BrianBay9]

The bark is eaten by many rodents and rabbits. But this is an exceptional species in that that is no issue. They very often get ring-barked in the wild but the essential vessels are much deeper and they survive without any problem.
Nearly all Euonymus in some Dutch dune areas are ringed annually by rabbits in winter and completely defoliated by Yponomeuta caterpillars in spring. But they are still completely fine.

Perhaps our rodents are hungrier.....mine died.

 

[bonsaichile]

Today, I repotted this guy and prunned it to set the primary structure. I am going fot a shohin broom

 

[bonsaichile]

Here is the pic

 

[bonsaichile]

It is popping like crazy!
As I mentioned, I am going for a shohin size tree. Given the number and location of the buds, I will have plenty to choose from to build the branching structure

 

[bonsaichile]

this guy has been growing well. The squirrels got it and ate some bark, causing an excellently positioned shoot to shrivel. I hope the ones at the bottom of the branch develop so I cab rebuild it. The attack forced me to relocate this tree that now sits on its own in the middle of my backyard, away from vermin. On the plus side, it gets full sun most of the day now, so it should make for a nice Fall display. In any case, I am please with how it os growing. In a couple weeks I will select and wire the shoots.

 

[bonsaichile]

This guy grew well in the spring, got battered by a horrible hail storm in the summer. Now, i pruned it back. As soon as those buds begin to move, I will work in the roots.

 

[bonsaichile]

From above

 

[bonsaichile]

From behind

 

[bonsaichile]

So today I repotted this guy. The root mat had developed nicely last year:

 

[bonsaichile]

After trimming it and reposition some roots:

 

[bonsaichile]

Repotted. Now, let's wait and see how it grows this season

 

[bonsaichile]

It's alive! I selected shoots today, leaving 2 where there were 3. I will wait until the shoots develop some more before I cut off some of the older wood that did not bud to create better tapered transitions. For now, I will let it be

 

[bonsaichile]

This guy has exploded with growth. In about a week or so I will select shoots and wire them in position. Then, I will leave it alone until the Fall

 

[bonsaichile]

I put some wire on this guy, selected a potential front and got rid of sone shoots I knew I did not want. It looks good now, but I am curious to see if ramification can help reduce leaf size. The tree is barely 8 inches tall and last year leaves were about 3 inches long. Hopefully, not that there is more ramification, the leaves will reduce some.