Hamilton’s spindle

Hamilton’s spindle: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Large, upright shrub or small, often multi-stemmed tree, about 4 m tall and 3 m wide.

Leaves

Oval to lance-shaped, 5–12 cm, finely toothed and opposite; fresh green in summer.

Flowers

Small, greenish-white flowers in loose clusters in May–June; not showy.

Fruit

Pink to rose-red, four-lobed capsules that split in autumn to show seeds wrapped in an orange aril.

Autumn colour

Red, pink or sometimes yellow; best in a sunny spot.

Flowering: May–June · Plants: March–April and October–November · Pruning: February–March

Why grow it?

• One of the finest autumn shrubs: pink fruits, orange seeds and red leaves all at once.
• The fruits often hang on the bare branches long after leaf fall.
• Birds such as robins eat the orange arils and so help to spread the seeds.
• Fully hardy and undemanding: grows in sand, loam and clay, including chalky soil.
• Lovely as a specimen, in an informal hedge or at the back of a wildlife-friendly border.
• Little work: it hardly needs pruning.

Hamilton’s spindle: where does it grow best?

• Sun or partial shade; in sun the autumn colour and fruiting are at their best.
• Any normal garden soil: sand, loam or clay, acid, neutral or chalky.
• Normally moist, well-drained soil; avoid ground that stays wet for long.
• Give it room: allow 3 m across, or plant 1.5–2 m apart in an informal hedge.
• Choose a spot where the fruits are easy to see in autumn, but not right next to a play area or a field with animals.

Light

Sun and partial shade

Soil type

Sand, loam or clay

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Normal

Size

4 m tall, 3 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -30 °C)

Goes well with

• Beautyberry: Purple berries next to the pink fruits: a striking autumn pairing.
• Red-barked dogwood: Red stems in winter, when the spindle is bare.
• Michaelmas daisy: Purple and blue flowers at its feet in September–October.
• Miscanthus: Plumes and movement beside the shrub in autumn.
• Spring bulbs: Snowdrops and crocuses fill the ground beneath the bare shrub in spring.

Hamilton’s spindle: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–April and October–November.

1. Plant in March–April or October–November, when the soil is not frozen or waterlogged.
2. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and just as deep, and loosen the bottom.
3. Set the shrub at the same depth as in the pot and backfill with soil mixed with a little compost.
4. Firm the soil well and water in thoroughly straight away.
5. In a windy spot, stake a tall young plant for the first few years.
6. Lay a mulch of wood chips or leaf mould around the base.

Care

Watering

In the first year, water regularly in dry spells. Once established it copes on its own, except in long, dry summers.

Feeding

Not needed on ordinary garden soil; a little compost around the base in spring is enough.

Mulching

A layer of leaf mould or wood chips keeps the soil moist and weed-free.

Fruiting

Several plants, or another spindle nearby, often give more fruit.

Gloves

Wear gloves when pruning and clearing fallen fruit, and wash your hands afterwards.

Tip: Plant it where the autumn sun falls on it, ideally against a dark backdrop of evergreens: then the pink fruits and red leaves really glow.

Hamilton’s spindle: when to prune it?

Pruning months: February–March.

When: Hardly needed: let it grow freely. If you must prune, do it in February–March while the shrub is bare.

How:

• Remove dead, damaged and crossing branches back to a healthy side shoot.
• Thin a shrub that has become too dense by taking out one or two old stems at the base.
• Do not shorten every branch: it spoils the natural shape and costs flowers and fruit.
• Wear gloves: all parts of the plant are poisonous.

Caution: Do not prune in autumn: you would cut off exactly the fruits you planted it for.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Seed

In autumn, sow fresh seed with the orange aril removed outdoors in a pot or seedbed. It needs a cold spell and germinates in spring, sometimes only after a year. Wear gloves.

Semi-ripe cuttings

In July–August, take 10–15 cm cuttings with a heel and set them in moist cutting compost under plastic; once rooted, grow them on in a pot for a year.

Hamilton’s spindle: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −30 °C.

• Fully hardy, to about −30 °C: no protection is needed in Belgium.
• The fruits often hang on long after leaf fall and are then a feast for birds.
• In severe winters, move young plants in pots to shelter and wrap the pot in hessian.

Diseases and pests

• Ermine moth: In May–June, branches are covered in white webbing full of caterpillars that strip the leaves. It looks alarming, but the shrub releafs in summer. Cut out the webs.
• Aphids: Black aphids on young shoots in spring. Ladybirds and birds usually deal with them; otherwise spray off with water.
• Few fruits: Too much shade or no pollination partner nearby. Give more light or plant a second shrub.
• Poor autumn colour: In deep shade the leaves colour less. A sunny spot gives the best colours.

Through the year

• February: If needed, remove dead and crossing branches, wearing gloves.
• March: Plant. Give compost around the base.
• April: Plant. Apply mulch.
• May: Flowering. Watch for ermine moth and aphids.
• June: End of flowering. Cut out caterpillar webs.
• July: Take semi-ripe cuttings. Water in dry spells.
• September: The fruits turn pink.
• October: Fruits split open, red autumn colour. Plant. Sow seed.
• November: Plant. Birds eat the orange seeds.
• December: Rest. Last fruits on the bare branches.

Edible and useful

Not edible. The brightly coloured fruits of spindle (pink with orange seeds) are poisonous and can cause vomiting, diarrhoea and heart problems in children and pets. The leaves and bark are poisonous too. Birds, however, eat the seeds without harm. If any is swallowed, call a poison centre (in Belgium 070 245 245) or your doctor at once.

Good for wildlife

Birds

Berries, seeds or insects as food, or a place to nest.

Did you know?

• The Dutch name kardinaalsmuts, ‘cardinal’s hat’, refers to the shape of the fruit, which recalls a cardinal’s headgear.
• The English name spindle comes from the hard, fine wood of the related native spindle, which was once used to make spindles for spinning wool.
• Birds eat only the orange aril or swallow the seed with it, and so spread the shrub.