General information: The winged spindle is native to Japan, the former Manchuria and central China. The plant grows here as an approx. 3 meter high, spindly but densely branched shrub in sparse forests and bushes. The angular shoots form typical cork ridges. The leaves are deciduous with an intense, bright crimson to purple-red autumn coloration. The flowers are inconspicuous, but the fruits are red-orange and also very attractive in the fall. The winged spindle is tolerant of site requirements, but prefers moist and nutrient-rich substrates. Care as a bonsai: Due to its impressive cork borders and extreme autumn coloration, the winged spindle is also very popular as a bonsai. It also forms delicate fruit and develops very fine branching through consistent pruning. The roots are also very fine and densely branched. The plant therefore needs to be watered carefully in summer and repotted regularly. Frost hardiness is very good, but it should not be exposed to late frosts.
Special features of the variety: The cultivar 'Compactus' was discovered in the USA in 1962 and introduced to the market. The growth is smaller and more compact than the species and the autumn coloration is more intense. The branches also form only very weak to no cork strips, allowing dense branching to develop. As a bonsai, the low winged spindle looks very graceful with its fine and strongly branched crown.
