EUONYMUS are deciduous or evergreen shrubs that can be tricky to recognise until autumn when you can see the colourful and very distinctive fruits.
Carried in clusters of up to seven, the small fruits are about ½-¾in (1-1.5cm) across, and come in two parts – a small red or orange berry surrounded by three or four fleshy scales in magenta, red, pink, orange or white.
The resulting colours can be very striking, like a cloud of sparkling jewels, and often persist into winter, although evergreen varieties may be shy to fruit and the fruits may be hidden among the foliage. The flowers that open in early summer and develop into the fruits are less impressive – small