Euonymus japonicus 'Paloma Blanca'
Overview
Euonymus japonicus 'Paloma Blanca' is a striking evergreen shrub that brings year-round interest to gardens with its eye-catching variegated foliage. This compact, hardy plant features glossy green leaves dramatically splashed with creamy white margins, creating a bright, luminous effect in borders, containers, and hedges. Its neat growth habit and tolerance of various conditions make it an excellent choice for gardeners seeking reliable, low-maintenance colour.
Key Features
This versatile shrub typically reaches a mature height of 60-.90cm with a similar spread, though it responds well to pruning and can be maintained at a smaller size if desired. The thick, leathery leaves are oval-shaped with distinctly serrated edges, and the creamy white variegation provides exceptional contrast against the dark green centres. Unlike some variegated plants, 'Paloma Blanca' maintains its colouring reliably throughout the seasons, offering consistent visual appeal.
Growing Conditions
'Paloma Blanca' thrives in a wide range of situations, making it suitable for most UK gardens. It performs best in full sun to partial shade, though the variegation is most pronounced when the plant receives good light. The shrub tolerates most soil types provided drainage is adequate, though it prefers moderately fertile, well-drained soil with a neutral to slightly alkaline pH. Once established, it shows reasonable drought tolerance, though regular watering during dry spells will keep it looking its best.
This euonymus is notably hardy and copes well with coastal conditions, withstanding salt-laden winds better than many other ornamental shrubs. It's also tolerant of urban pollution, making it ideal for town gardens.
Planting and Care
Plant 'Paloma Blanca' in spring or autumn, spacing multiple plants 60-90 centimetres apart if creating a hedge or border. Dig a hole twice the width of the root ball and incorporate some well-rotted compost or manure into the planting area. Water thoroughly after planting and keep the soil consistently moist during the first growing season whilst the roots establish.
Once settled, this shrub requires minimal maintenance. Apply a general-purpose fertiliser in early spring and add a layer of mulch around the base to conserve moisture and suppress weeds. Pruning is optional but can be carried out in late spring to maintain shape or control size. The plant responds well to both light trimming and harder renovation pruning if needed.
Watch for any all-green shoots (reversions) appearing amongst the variegated foliage and remove these promptly at their point of origin, as they're more vigorous and will eventually dominate if left unchecked.
Uses in the Garden
The bright variegation of 'Paloma Blanca' makes it invaluable for illuminating shady corners or adding contrast to green-dominated planting schemes. It works beautifully as a specimen plant, in mixed borders where it provides structure and winter interest, or as an informal hedge. The compact habit also makes it suitable for large containers on patios or flanking doorways.
This euonymus pairs particularly well with purple-leaved plants like heucheras or berberis, creating striking colour combinations. It also complements spring bulbs and summer perennials, providing a reliable backdrop throughout the changing seasons.
Potential Issues
Generally pest and disease resistant, 'Paloma Blanca' is a trouble-free plant. Occasionally, scale insects may appear on the stems, which can be treated with appropriate horticultural products or removed by hand. In very sheltered positions with poor air circulation, powdery mildew might develop, though this is uncommon and usually not serious.
The main maintenance consideration is monitoring for and removing any plain green reversions to preserve the attractive variegated appearance.
Summary
Euonymus japonicus 'Paloma Blanca' is an outstanding evergreen shrub for gardeners seeking dependable year-round colour with minimal fuss. Its luminous variegated foliage, compact habit, and exceptional adaptability make it a worthwhile addition to virtually any garden style.
Buying Shrubs from Jacksons Nurseries
At Jacksons Nurseries we sell a variety of shrubs both evergreen and deciduous with a variety of flowering times throughout the year. At certain times of the year our shrubs you buy from us may not look like the images shown on our website when deciduous leaves have fallen, the shrub has finished flowering or has been trimmed back.
Some leaves on evergreen shrubs can be damaged in winter by frost or harsh winds but in spring new leaves will readily replace those damaged. This is quite normal on many evergreen varieties and is preferable to plants grown with excessive protection that show cold shock once planted out and establish less satisfactory initially.
Availability: Stock availability figures are provided as a guide only. There is a delay between orders being placed and the plants being gathered by our pulling team. During this time it may be possible for a member of the public to purchase these plants from our Garden Centre, while this is rare it is a possibility and we will notify you of any problems as soon as possible. This figure may also include plants that have not yet be flagged as unsaleable.
Pre-order: Pre-order times are given as a guide only and may vary dependent on the growing season. Orders containing Pre-ordered products will be shipped as a single order when all items become available. Large orders may be part shipped, please contact us on 01782 502741 or email sales@jacksonsnurseries.co.uk.
* Please Note: Shrubs in 20 litre pots and above might require a pallet delivery starting at £79.99 per pallet. Depending on the exact pot size and height it may be possible to get approximately 5 plants per pallet at no extra cost. The maximum height we can dispatch on a pallet is 2.0m, this includes the height of the pallet and pot.
Shrubs are deciduous or evergreen woody plants, and often provide fragrant flowers, berries and foliage. They are good for structural framework, and they can provide a wonderful shelter and food source for wildlife.
Planting and Conditions
Container grown shrubs can be grown at any time of year. It is a little known fact that shrubs planted in the autumn and winter will be easier to look after than those planted in the spring and summer, because they will have time to establish and become hardy in the cooler months.
Plant the shrub at the same depth as it was in its original pot. Planting too deeply can result in root and stem rot.
One of the biggest causes of death in new shrubs is drought stress, so keep it well watered until it’s established.
Make sure you loosen the soil prior to planting. Most shrubs are tolerant of most soil types as long as it is fairly well draining.
Most shrubs will grow happily in containers, but they will be much more demanding on feeding and watering than shrubs in the ground would be. They will also need potting on every couple of years so that they don’t suffocate or become stunted in their pot.
Aftercare and Pruning
Once established, shrubs generally do not require much water. However, at first they need careful, frequent watering and should not be left to dry out.
Shrubs in the ground are generally not demanding and in most cases, annual feeding with general purpose fertilizer will suffice. Shrubs in containers may need more feeding; usually from early spring until late summer.
Shrubs also benefit from mulching in order to supress weeds, conserve moisture and provide vital nutrients. Mulch also greatly improves soil conditions. Shrubs can be mulched in late winter, after fertiliser has been applied, but it can be mulched through autumn to late spring as long as the ground is damp.
All shrubs benefit from dead-heading once spent flowers become apparent. Rhododendrons and Lilac especially benefit from the removal of dead flowers.
Some shrubs may show signs of reverted growth or ‘sporting’. This is where random shoots of different leaves associated with the plant’s parentage begin to appear. Most commonly this is where plants with variegated leaves sprout pure green growths instead of variegated ones.
To control reversion, remove reverted shoots promptly to discourage them. Reverted shoots are usually much more vigorous than the variegated ones, and thus should be completely pruned out and cut back into wood containing variegated foliage.
Potential Issues
Although shrubs are usually very robust garden plants, they can sometimes start to decline with no apparent or obvious reason.
This will start with browning leaves, which could indicate plant stress due to lack of water or waterlogging, an establishment failure or, in the worst case scenario, honey fungus. Another cause of leaf browning is a high salt content in the soil. This could be a natural occurrence, especially if you live near the ocean, or it could be from over fertilisation.
To remedy a high salt content, cut back on fertiliser and step up your watering regime for the next few weeks. If you live by the ocean, this will be harder to remedy—but stepping up your watering will help to wash some of the salt away all the same.
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£19.99 |