How To Grow Types of Spindle Tree, Planting and Care Tips (ID Charts)

Although not the most outstanding tree that you can incorporate into your landscape, the Spindle tree can still be planted where it can show off its leaves as they change colors each autumn.

As the leaves fall away and the bright red berries become the main focal point, you will be amazed at just how appealing this understated tree still looks and what it can bring to your backyard landscape.

This guide explains how, why and where to plant a Spindle tree and some surprising benefits they offer when they are strategically planted around your home.

Spindle Tree Growing Zone and Spindle Tree Growth Rate

Native to Asia and Europe, the Spindle tree grows best in woodland areas and needs at least four to six hours of sunshine per day, preferably more if you can plant it in the right location.

Apart from its daily sunshine needs, ensuring that the soil drains properly and retains moisture will ensure that it stands a better chance of growing into a healthy tree or shrub and is free from any growing pains that will demand your time and attention to rectify.

Just remember that if you live in a warmer region and plant your tree in a spot that has full sun and little shade, you can expect to water it more often.

A rule of thumb is that as soon as the top few inches of soil get dry, soak the base of the plant so the earth is nice and damp but not overly soaked.

When it is properly cared for, although it is a low-maintenance plant, the Spindle tree is a fairly fast grower that is capable of adding on up to 40 cm a year in height. This makes it ideal for growing as a hedge around your property to naturally mark your property line and give you some privacy.

Best Growing Conditions for Spindle Tree Planting

When you’re considering the site to plant your Spindle bush or tree, it’s good to know that these plants really aren’t that picky about where they set down roots, as they are adaptable and quite durable.

You don’t even need to think about growing zones for Spindle trees, where to grow, or when to plant Spindle trees for the best yield, as they can be planted at any time of the year.

Their versatility and hardiness enable them to grow contentedly in different soil conditions, from moist to dry for short periods of time as long as the pH levels are neutral. If you’re unsure about the pH level of your front or back yard, purchase a pH level meter to give it a quick check.

It’s really quite common to see Spindle trees growing along the periphery of a forest, and this is one of the reasons why they are often used as hedges, as well as making excellent landscaping trees or bushes.

Growing a Spindle Tree From a Seed, Cutting, or Seedling

Spindle trees are easy to cultivate from seed, a cutting from a branch, or seedlings, and if you’re in the market for a plant to spruce up your surroundings, this plant will definitely do the job.

To start the process, you first have to germinate the seeds by breaking the dormancy period.³ This involves undergoing a stratification process that involves storing them in a cold, damp environment to make them act as they would in the ground during winter when scattered naturally by birds, the wind, and small animals.

It’s crucial, though, to wait until the actual capsules have opened up so you can remove the seeds before placing them in a clear plastic bag containing damp vermiculite.

For the first 10 weeks, keep them fairly warm, and then refrigerate them for a further 16 weeks for them to begin to sprout. Once that has occurred, they are ready to be sown into pots.

Choose a recommended seed compost that can be purchased from your local nursery, and over the next year or two, ensure that it gets enough sun and water until it’s ready to migrate outdoors.

If that process seems a touch arduous and long-winded for you, another option is to take a clipping from a Spindle tree in the late summer and use it to propagate the tree.

To do so, use a clean pair of shears to snip a stem at an angle that’s about six inches long. After dipping the cut end in a rooting hormone, push the cut end into a small container filled with damp soilless potting mix.

Be patient at this stage as it will take a few months for it to grow its first leaves. Once that has happened, it won’t be much longer before you’ll be able to plant the new sapling outdoors.

Before planting into the ground, however, just as with seedlings, give the plant plenty of water and dig a hole that’s twice as wide as the root ball and just as deep. Be careful when transplanting not to damage the roots to reduce the shock the seedling may experience when being moved from the container to a new location with unfamiliar soil.

Plants can quickly become acclimatized to the compost they have been surrounded by for months, so the transition from the old into the new has to be handled well to make the move as painless as possible.

Types of Spindle Bush

Sought after not only for their blazing autumn red foliage, Spindle trees, of which there are over 175 species, are very adaptable to their environment and can be grown in USDA hardiness zones three to seven.

It is important that before you purchase a random Spindle tree from your local nursery, you verify that it is suitable for your planting zone as some varieties may not be able to thrive or even survive for very long, depending on where you live.