If you want to reshape it to Improve the form, go for it, though I would wait until the weather is colder so it doesn’t try to regrow and not have a chance to harden off. If you would be happy to let it get taller, instead of covering, how about a ring of chicken wire larger in diameter than the shrub, held in place with stakes. Just make it tall enough to keep the rabbits out, perhaps a foot or so taller than the Euonymus.

I would like it to get larger, but not tall and spindly. I find it odd that it got this spindly this summer as I did prune about 3" off the top of each branch in early summer. I was hoping that would encourage bushiness, not tall spindly growth?

That's a good idea about the chicken wire cage though. I might do that instead of using the tent.

year one.. spindly growth.. year two ... they expand and fill in ...

i dont see how you are going to get it taller.. if you keep cutting off height ...

in some sense.. you are not working in tree or shrub time .... you have pruning/shape goals.. which is great.. but you need to let it grow for a few years.. so you can apply the goals ...

shrubs just dont grow like annuals and perennials .... in terms of one season or two ... just give shrubs an extra year or two .... and then start creating your goals ...

ken

It’s a Euonymus fortunei cultivar so it will never get tall. They are low, mounding shrubs which become a self clinging vine when given something to climb. The ‘spindly growth’ Is nothing to do with the plant’s age. It is just preparing to climb. I habpve two. Both growing up stone walls.

They can certainly get large enough to be considered a shrub. In my area it is not uncommon to see well established plants 3' or so tall and at least that wide, if not wider. And unless it has something to prop itself up against, it may never show any indication of climbing.

It is generally described as having a varying habit.....a spreading groundcover, a climbing 'vine' or a small shrub. Kinda depends on the situation in which it is being grown :-)

Thank you all for the great information. Sure, I would like it to get a bit taller but there is nothing for it to lean on or climb.

Will the leaves grown larger on this spindly tall growth? When I left this type of growth last summer, the leaves just stayed small and scrawny all summer.

GG, I didn’t say they weren’t shrubs, just that they are mounding shrubs. I am well aware they won’t climb unless they meet a vertical surface. Can’t recall ever seeing one more than about four feet unless it had started climbing. However, IMO this one is showing signs of looking for a support. If it doesn’t meet one it will start mounding. In my view it won’t keep growing upwards much further.

Does "mounding" mean that the tall branches will just droop and fall?

Floral, my response was not intended as a criticism of your comments.....only an add-on :-). IME, the 'mounded shrub' form only comes with pruning. Otherwise the plant just looks unkempt and unruly.

If this were my plant and I wanted to train it into a rounded, mounded shrub, I would leave the current growth intact for now and prune/shape in spring as it starts to push new growth

>> If this were my plant and I wanted to train it into a rounded, mounded shrub,

Yes, this is what I would like it to look like. So I guess I will just leave those tall branches, and see how growth develops next spring.

I will just forget about the winter tent (since it's too small now), and build the chicken wire fence around it. Or maybe even wrap the whole shrub in burlap? Is one way better than the other? I just want to keep the rabbits from eating it right down to the ground like they did last winter.

I'd probably opt for chicken wire over burlap.....a hungry bunny could rip right through that!

Just to share a funny and sad story ... I had the "tent" over it last winter to stop the rabbits from eating it. Well, when I went to remove the tent, there was a nest of baby bunnies right under it!!! Being an animal lover, I didn't know whether to be overjoyed or down right pissed, as the only purpose of this tent was to keep the rabbits away from it! Sadly, the next day I noticed that something had attacked the nest since the tent was no longer in place. Not sure if any of the babies made it, but there was not even one left in the nest. I didn't know whether to cry or celebrate. I just tried to forget about the whole thing and move on with spring. This year, I only notice one juvie rabbit in our yard, so I guess one of the babies made it.