| General Description | Euonymus alata 'Compacta' is a reliable common shrub frequently used in both private and commercial landscapes. It is known for its intensely red autumn foliage. |
| ID Characteristic | Ridges on mature bark. Intense red leaves in autumn. |
| Landscape | Frequently used in both private and commericial landscapes. Easy to grow and tolerant of a wide variety of conditions. Seems fairly salt tolerant and responds to trimming, as a result in is often used in mass plantings in shopping malls. Makes a good hedge. |
| Propagation | By cuttings taken at any time when the plant is in leaf. |
| Cultivation | Readily grown in most conditions; tolerant of a wide variety of soil conditions except where soil is waterlogged. Quite tolerant of dry conditions once established. |
| Pests | Euonymus scale can be a severe problem if it is not promptly controlled. |
| Notable Specimens | The Gardens of Fanshawe College, London, Ontario, Canada. The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada. The Royal Botanical Gardens, Burlington, Ontario, Canada. |
| Habitat | Horticultural origin. |
| Bark/Stem Description | Green when young, 2 - 4 corky wings or ridges when mature. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description | Acutely pointed, dull green but often purplish in late autumn through winter. |
| Leaf Description | Elliptic to obovate, opposite, up to 5 cm in length, sharply and finely serrate, dull green but turning intensely red in autumn. |
| Flower Description | Insignificant, yellow-green, in 3-flowered axillary cymes, bisexual or functionally unisexual, 4 - 5 stamens. |
| Fruit Description | Orange arils are held in a 4 lobed, purplish capsule. |
| Colour Description | Dull green foliage turning an intense red in autumn. |
