Emerald Gaiety Wintercreeper Euonymus
Euonymus fortunei 'Emerald Gaiety'
Planting & Care
Planting & Care
Delivery and Shipping
Delivery and Shipping
Preorder Shipping Schedule
We ship your plants when it's safe to transport them to your zone. Dates are estimated and subject to weather delays.
| Zone 3-4 | Week of March 30th |
| Zone 5 | Week of March 16th |
| Zone 6-12 | Week of March 2nd |
Shipping Rates
Ships in 7-10 business days • Tracking provided • Weather protected
| Under $50 | $9.99 |
| $50 - $99.99 | $14.99 |
| $100 - $149.99 | $16.99 |
| $150 - $198.99 | $24.99 |
| $199+ | FREE |
✓ Zone-specific timing • ✓ Professional packaging • ✓ Health guarantee
Understanding Our Container Sizes
At Nature Hills, our plants are sold in industry-standard nursery containers. You will notice we use the word "container" rather than "gallon." Container numbers follow a nursery trade size standard, not liquid volume. The number tells you the plant's size category and general maturity level. A larger container means a more established plant with a stronger root system.

Container Sizes
Quart
Plant age: 6 months to 1 year
Best for: Ground covers, perennials, ornamental grasses
What to expect: Our smallest and most affordable size. Well-suited for planting in multiples across a large area. Allow 1 to 2 seasons for full establishment.
#1 Container
Plant age: 1 to 2 years
Best for: Shrubs, perennials, smaller trees
What to expect: About the size of a large coffee can. A well-developed root system in a manageable size. Good value choice when you have time to let the plant grow into the space over a season or two.
#2 Container
Plant age: 2 to 3 years
Best for: Shrubs and trees where you want faster establishment
What to expect: A noticeable step up from a #1 in both plant size and root development. Good choice when you want visible presence without going to a larger size.
#3 Container
Plant age: 3 to 4 years
Best for: Most plants, most situations — flowering trees, shade trees, evergreen shrubs
What to expect: Our most popular size. Strong, developed root system. Plants in a #3 container make an immediate visual impact from day one. If you want a head start rather than waiting seasons for a plant to fill in, this is typically the right choice.
#5 Container and Larger
Plant age: 4 to 5+ years
Best for: Specimen plants, privacy screens, maximum instant impact
What to expect: Large, mature plants ready to make an immediate statement in your landscape. We also carry #7 and larger sizes for select varieties.
Why "Container" and Not "Gallon"?
Nursery container sizes follow an industry trade standard established for the nursery and horticulture industry. The number is a size designation, not a measurement of liquid volume. Actual soil volume varies by plant type, root mass, and growing medium. Using "container" is the accurate industry term. When you see #1, #2, or #3, think of it as the plant's size tier, not a gallon measurement.
Root Pouch Containers
Some Nature Hills plants arrive in a Root Pouch, a breathable fabric container made from 100% recycled materials. Root Pouches encourage denser root development through air pruning, which discourages root circling and promotes a stronger, more fibrous root ball at the time of planting.

There are two types. Knowing which one you have changes how you plant:
- Degradable (brown or tan fabric): Plant the entire pouch directly in the ground. The fabric breaks down naturally in the soil over time.
- Non-degradable (black or gray fabric): Remove the pouch before planting. Cut the bottom open with scissors, then peel the sides away. The fibrous root ball will hold its shape.
Not sure which type you have? Check the tag on your plant or contact us and we will confirm.
Full Root Pouch planting guide
Choosing the Right Size
| Size | Plant Age | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Quart | 6 mo to 1 yr | Ground covers, perennials, grasses. Budget-friendly for mass plantings. |
| #1 Container | 1 to 2 yrs | Shrubs, perennials, small trees. Value choice for patient gardeners. |
| #2 Container | 2 to 3 yrs | Shrubs and trees where you want faster establishment. |
| #3 Container | 3 to 4 yrs | Most plants. Immediate visual impact. Our most popular size. |
| #5 and larger | 4+ yrs | Specimen plants, privacy screens, maximum instant impact. |
Still not sure which size is right for your project? Our plant specialists are happy to help. Contact us and we will point you in the right direction.
Plant Sentry™ Protected
Your order is protected by our compliance system that:
- Prevents restricted plants from shipping to your state
- Ensures plants meet your state's agricultural requirements
- Protects gardens from invasive pests and diseases
Description
Gone are the days of single-colored evergreen shrubs! Sometimes known as Wintercreeper, Emerald Gaiety Euonymus (Euonymus fortunei 'Emerald Gaiety') is the perfect accent to the colorful perennials already decorating your garden! This elegant broadleaf evergreen brightens your landscape without needing any extra care or fuss!
One look at this shrub is all it takes to see why it's a winner of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit, given by the Royal Horticultural Society! The center of each leaf is a deep, dark green surrounded by white edges.
As the name implies, this shrub is sure to bring you no small amount of happiness! These leaves are stunning all year long but as winter approaches, they put on a special show and take on a lovely pink tinge. They're just getting ready for the most festive time of year!
Emerald Gaiety, which is native to China, Japan, and Korea, will grow densely into an erect mound. They become a showy work of art! Those glossy green leaves can be the backdrop for the petite white flowers in the summer, but quite honestly the foliage is the main attraction of this specimen! Your local pollinators will enjoy the tiny blooms regardless!
Hardy throughout USDA growing zones 5 to 9, holding its color in heat, sun, and humidity. Growing into 2-4 foot tall and 3-4 foot wide shrub that is usually grown as a groundcover type plant. But wherever the plant finds a vertical surface, it can attach to brick or rough surfaces and climb up. An incredible, fine textured, colorful, broadleaved evergreen! These Wintercreepers can be invasive in some states. Nature Hills has developed Plant Sentry™, our very own compliance software that will not allow the sale or shipment of any plant that your state has prohibited from being purchased and grown where it is restricted.
Planting and Application:
There are so many ways to incorporate this vivacious little shrub into your garden or landscape. You could plant one or two in your perennial garden. The variegated greens on Emerald Gaiety's leaves make wonderful accents to the bold colors of Roses and Peonies it may grow near.
Ring a tree or large shrub in these cheerful spreading shrubs as a bright fringe that finishes the look of the planting! Wonderful facer plants, hide the bare lower leggy stems of older shrubs and trees! Try adding a few to the sides of your house and take your foundation plantings to the next level!
Take a rather dull-looking fence segment, or a tired evergreen hedge and transform it into an eye-catching patio backdrop with a row of Emerald Gaiety planted at its base. Enclose a garden planting with a low hedge of trimmed or sheared Wintercreeper for year-round borders around your plantings to create a formal effect, working as a great alternative to sometimes troublesome shrubs!
These also work fantastic planted on inclines. Not only will it look beautiful, it'll also help with erosion control! Spreading and rambling, these Wintercreepers can form colonies that hold soil and transform a hard-to-mow hillside into a picturesque landscape feature in no time!
Even a container or planter with an Emerald Gaiety planted as its feature with a ring of spillers or small annuals becomes a stunning accent on a container garden, or in a balcony or patio area!
- Stunning Variegated Green & White Leaves
- Broadleaf Evergreen Shrubs Or Groundcover
- Pinkish-Tinged Foliage in the Winter
- Excellent for Foundation Planting, Prevents Soil Erosion & Containers
- Garden Merit Award Winner
#ProPlantTips for Care:
Emerald Gaiety Euonymus is really quite easy to care for. They don't ask for much and aren't picky about when they like to be pruned. Simply plant them in full sun and some well-drained soil. Yes! Emerald Gaiety care is that simple! In fact, this shrub will even tolerate partial shade! Adding a 3-4 inch deep layer of mulch at the base helps keep moisture levels even. It seems the only thing that really upsets Emerald Gaiety is having wet feet in soggy soil!
You can prune your Emerald Gaiety shrub back whenever you'd like, but a spring pruning for shearing or to cut off winter dieback, and to whatever shape suits you best. It'll grow back better than ever. It's the epitome of low maintenance! Give shrubs in zone 5 a good anti-desiccant and a good drink in the fall to keep them from drying out throughout the winter.
- Easy to Care For In Full Sun & Partial Shade
- Well-Drained Soil
- Moderate Moisture Needs
- Prune In Spring
- Deer Resistant
Adding this easy-to-grow shrub to your garden is a great way to add texture and character! Whether you choose to let it grow naturally across the ground or test your skills as a gardener and train it up a wall, Emerald Gaiety Wintercreeper Euonymus is the shrub for you! Order yours today from Nature Hills Nursery!
Specifications
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Growth RateModerate
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Bloom PeriodLate Spring
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Does Not Ship ToAK, HI, ID, IN, KS, MD, MT, PR
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