Euonymus

Euonymus, a genus of shrubs and small trees belonging to the order Celastracecc. E. europanes, the only British species, has tough, yellowish wood, formerly used for skewers, shoe-pegs, and spindles, whence the plant is known as Spindle-tree. It has glossy leaves and greenish flowers, which are succeeded by bright rose-pink capsules, which on bursting disclose the seeds, each covered with an orange aril. Tennyson therefore speaks of it as "the fruit which in our winter woodland looks a flower." Leaves, flowers, and fruit are poisonous. A good crayon charcoal is made from the wood. E. japonicus, an evergreen shrub, with dark ovate leaves, is much cultivated in London, but thrives specially on our south coast. E. sieboldianus, the Pai'cha of China, is a substitute for boxwood introduced in 1878.