Help with 5-year old Home Depot euonymus plants - Ask Extension
Hi. I have 4 of these euonymus plants in my yard. They seem to get sickly and I've often thought they're dying but then new shoots form that look ok. ...
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Help with 5-year old Home Depot euonymus plants #927034
Asked March 30, 2026, 7:48 AM EDT
Hi. I have 4 of these euonymus plants in my yard. They seem to get sickly and I've often thought they're dying but then new shoots form that look ok. I continuously remove dead shoots. What disease do these have? Should I remove the entire plant? Leave it? Treat it? Thank you.
Anne Arundel County Maryland
Expert Response
The issue pictured is a very heavy population of Euonymus Scale, an insect commonly found in our region which feeds on this plant and a few of its relatives (plus a few unrelated species, like boxwood). Scale insects are difficult to suppress once populations get high, and it's easier to just cut the plant down (or replace it) rather than attempt treatment using insecticide. You can learn more on the linked page, but essentially we'd suggest you cut the shrub down to within perhaps 6 inches of the ground and let it regrow. That won't remove 100% of the scale, but it will remove the vast majority of them.
If the shrub has healthy roots, it can recover from such a drastic pruning with new growth, though it may take a few weeks or months for that to appear and start to fill in, and a couple years or so for the shrub to regain all of the height it lost in the trimming. Otherwise, dig it out and replant, ideally with another species since Japanese Euonymus (the type pictured) is non-native.
The Euonymus is also planted extremely close to the wall, which doesn't leave it with enough root and branch room to mature normally and stay vigorous and healthy. Stress from the limited root space and reflected heat (or reduced air circulation) from being so close to the brick is not helping its potential for recovery, and stress can predispose plants to insect and disease problems. Japanese Euonymus routinely grows around 6 or 8 feet tall and 4 to 6 or more feet wide, so it needs room to get close to those dimensions without being crowded or having to be heavily pruned regularly to get it to fit in a space. There are shorter-growing or narrower-growing shrubs to choose from, although in most cases they should still be planted at least 3 feet away from a wall or solid fence.
Miri
If the shrub has healthy roots, it can recover from such a drastic pruning with new growth, though it may take a few weeks or months for that to appear and start to fill in, and a couple years or so for the shrub to regain all of the height it lost in the trimming. Otherwise, dig it out and replant, ideally with another species since Japanese Euonymus (the type pictured) is non-native.
The Euonymus is also planted extremely close to the wall, which doesn't leave it with enough root and branch room to mature normally and stay vigorous and healthy. Stress from the limited root space and reflected heat (or reduced air circulation) from being so close to the brick is not helping its potential for recovery, and stress can predispose plants to insect and disease problems. Japanese Euonymus routinely grows around 6 or 8 feet tall and 4 to 6 or more feet wide, so it needs room to get close to those dimensions without being crowded or having to be heavily pruned regularly to get it to fit in a space. There are shorter-growing or narrower-growing shrubs to choose from, although in most cases they should still be planted at least 3 feet away from a wall or solid fence.
Miri
Thank you very much Miri for this response. I will remove these 4 plants. Do you have any recommendations for something small, native, easy to maintain, that I can put in this spot near the house? It gets direct sun all afternoon. Thank you again.
We can provide some ideas with a bit more information.
How close to the house would the new plant(s) have to be planted; will they be able to go at least 3 feet away from the wall? That will help determine what species we consider. Additionally, do deer visit the yard and browse? (We're guessing not, since they usually readily eat Euonymus.)
You mention the site has what sounds like a full sun exposure in summer (6+ hours of direct sun after the trees have leafed-out), but how is the soil? Does it skew dry, drain decently well, or stay wet for a while after heavy rains? Those traits will also help us narrow-down what to recommend.
What approximate mature size (without relying on pruning) did you have in mind for the new plants?
Miri
How close to the house would the new plant(s) have to be planted; will they be able to go at least 3 feet away from the wall? That will help determine what species we consider. Additionally, do deer visit the yard and browse? (We're guessing not, since they usually readily eat Euonymus.)
You mention the site has what sounds like a full sun exposure in summer (6+ hours of direct sun after the trees have leafed-out), but how is the soil? Does it skew dry, drain decently well, or stay wet for a while after heavy rains? Those traits will also help us narrow-down what to recommend.
What approximate mature size (without relying on pruning) did you have in mind for the new plants?
Miri
