Identification: Small shrub, tough white new leaves, scallopped edges

Each side of the entrance way to this building has one of these potted shrubs, compact or maybe miniature, tough leaves coloured either shiny green (sometimes edged with white) or thinner and white. There is the occasional variegated leaf, but mostly, it's one colour or the other, with the new leaves that are white, but in some cases, there is green growth at the branch tips with white beneath it. The dense branching creates a lot of colour variation overall. Branching is opposite, decussate. There are no flowers right now.

1. What is this, species and cultivar name?
2. What's going on here? Is it really the new leaves that are white? How do they go green instantly? If they don't go green instantly, why don't I see more leaves in transition? The stems have white leaves with totally green leaves beneath them.



On a few stems, the white leaves are below darker ones, on the same stem.

 

A variegated cultivar of one of the evergreen spindles, probably Euonymus fortunei or a close relative.

 

Thank you. That certainly helped a lot with the search. I've found Euonymus fortunei 'Harlequin', on which the green leaves are supposed to be speckled. Most of the sites that come up are in England/Europe, though one was in Ohio (US) and University of Illinois: Euonymus fortunei 'Harlequin' habit: UIPLANTS - Harlequin wintercreeper euonymus.

I also see Euonymus fortunei 'Pierrolino', which also shows speckled leaves. I came across Euonymus japonicus 'PIERROLINO'® (that's what it shows), which photo looks a little different, but that name is so confused, it might be the same plant.

 

I have a couple of Euonymus fortunei 'Bravo' that as they get older and larger (I keep them trimmed to about 6ft) send up more and more branches that are entirely white leaves, especially on top where they get the most sunlight. And then occasionally it will send out a branch of solid green leaves in the midst of the white ones (I was once told that I should could remove these so I cut them out)

 

Yes, with that branching habit and those leaves plant asked about would be an E. japonicus form. Confirming U.S. Patent description is here, note also cultivar name used (more below):

United States Patent: PP13852

Probably the correct presentation for this one is Pierrolino ('Heespierrolino'), with the Pierrolino registered trademark and the differently spelled cultivar name being two separate words. With such designations being garbled or ignored by both commercial sources as well as gardening literature on a routine basis, the most common instance being the listing of trademarks as cultivars. For instance in this example (presumably) only 'Heespierrolino' is the plant, with Pierrolino (R) being a marketing tool. For purposes of illustration here are some more or less approximate comparisons:

RoundUp : Glyphosate
Jello : Gelatin
Kleenex : Facial tissue
Pierrolino : 'Heespierolino'

 

Thank you, Ron! That patent description is a treat to read, in its clear description of the differences between Euonymus japonicus 'Heespierrolino' and E. fortunei 'Harlequin', including the upright growth that you mentioned and the less speckled leaves. There are several other differences mentioned - leaf shape, leaf size, petiole length; also 'Heespierrolino' produces white sprigs year round. It says it's non-flowering. I heard someone express surprise that Euonymus have flowers; I'm surprised that there are ones that can be said to have no flowers.

And thank you for tackling and explaining the name.

 

@pmurphy, that's an attractive plant too. I'm not very fond of the yellow variegated Euonymus, but I find the creamy-coloured ones with the dark blue-green very attractive. It gives a kind of icy look.

 

What would seem to actually be Japanese common names becoming western cultivar names after material is imported is a recurring circumstance. Presumably due to a different commercial tradition there, regarding horticultural naming. In addition sometimes Japanese companies specifically interested in exporting to the West have coined new names for western distribution, that are different from those being used in Japan. On top of the apparently profit motivated generation of spurious cultivar names that has long gone on already in western countries. Regarding the 'Heespierrolino' for instance I saw what could perfectly well be the same clone at Home Depot recently, with a completely different, more conventional (accessible) cultivar(?) name on it (no quotes or any other designations were used so I couldn't be certain if I was looking at a cultivar name or trademark). Either somebody has applied their own naming to 'Heespierolino' or there is a lookalike plant of independent origin on the US market.

 

I think that you are correct. This is a dwarf Euonymus cultivar that is available at The Home Depot in Richmond for about $15 in a 10" pot, and mature height is something like 70 cm. It's a lovely shrub that doesn't need full sun to thrive.