Euonymus europaeus aka Spindle

Euonymus europaeus, commonly known as the spindle or European spindle, is a deciduous shrub or small tree belonging to the family Celastraceae. Native to various parts of Europe, it thrives in forest edges, hedges, and gentle slopes with nutrient-rich, chalky, and salt-poor soils. This large, spreading plant can reach a height of 3 meters and has narrowly oval, dark green leaves that turn a brilliant scarlet-red in autumn. In summer, inconspicuous yet nectar-rich green and white flowers bloom, followed by pink, four-lobed fruit that splits open to reveal orange seeds, which last well into winter. The spindle has other names such as fusoria, fusanum, and ananbeam, and it may have even given its name to an ancient Greek settlement called Euonymeia. Its lanceolate to elliptical leaves are finely serrated and measure 3-8 cm long and 1-3 cm broad, appearing dark green in summer and displaying a range of colors from yellow-green to reddish-purple in autumn. The hermaphrodite flowers, which appear in late spring, are small, yellowish green, and insect-pollinated. The capsular fruit ripens in autumn, ranging in color from red to purple or pink and reaching a width of 1-1.5 cm. As the fruit matures, the four lobes split open, exposing the orange seeds. This spindly shrub-tree with an irregular crown can grow rapidly, reaching heights of 12-20 feet (or occasionally up to 30 feet). While slender in its youth, it typically matures into a rounded form. The small, yellowish-green flowers bloom in 3-5 flowered clusters from late April to June, followed by highly attractive fruits. Pinkish-red dehiscent capsules open in fall, revealing tiny seeds encased in fleshy orange arils. The ovate to oblong-lanceolate leaves are crenate-serrate, glabrous, and dull dark green, but they undergo a beautiful transformation in the fall, showcasing varying shades of red, orange, and purple. Spindletree wood was once utilized for making spindles.