I found this after cleaning up the last of the yard waste today. It's growing along a fence where it's no more than 1' wide, it can't get much sun at all because it's near a big tree, and was under a big pokeweed all summer, so I never even got back there to see it before this.

I do remember seeing it last year when I was cleaning up though and then promptly forgot about it, thinking it was a gift from the birds and not expecting it to live. But it apparently does survive Zone 5 winters. One section of it is over 3' long. It actually looks pretty nice though.

Euonymus.
Probably Euonymus Emerald Gaity.

Thank you, that sounds exactly like it. I have to wonder how it got there, I can't imagine anyone planting it in that spot , but the house is almost 70 years old, so who knows. Maybe I can find a place for it where it can grow.

It makes berries. Birds eat berries. Need I say more?

I keep pokeberries up just for the birds until all the berries are gone, so yes, I'll definitely have to try and find a place for this. I expect that the neighbor with the tree is going to take it down at some point and not replace it (they ripped out every bush, flower, and evergreen when they moved in, front and back), so it probably would then get enough sun in that spot and grow just fine there if I make sure that a pokeberry doesn't cover it.

Those crawling Euonymus fortunei are generally planted as woodland ground covers where they grow so aggressively that they escape ninto the surrounding area.
I would not worry about providing enough light, but rather a plan of control.
Pretty much an undesirable around here:
https://invasive-species.exten...

Maybe it's best to leave it where it is then. It's only 1' wide as I said and eventually gets to behind the garage, where it could cover the ground there and I'd actually be happy. Wild grape vine from the neighbor's side over the years has rooted back there, it's taking your life in your hands trying to walk back there when it gets going, your foot gets stuck with every step or you trip on the vines.

There's also a mix of common daylilies back there, some Queen Anne's Lace, a huge pokeberry... it could run wild back there if it makes it through the other stuff. I need to try and keep the grape vines under control though, they smother and choke out everything else.

I have a picture somewhere of monster piles of Euonymus fortunei pulled out of someone's shade garden... Unfortunately, plenty of spots regenerated due to the challenge of removing enough of the roots.

I suggest keeping a very close eye on this stuff...

I'm thinking our zone difference, plus the poor growing conditions it's in, will keep it from getting too aggressive. At most since last year the length of the vines are longer, but it hasn't spread other than that. It's still just 1 lone plant in an odd spot. I also have some Virginia Creeper in the corner behind the garage that even after 6 years is still just a few scrawny plants in the same spot, hasn't spread at all.

Creeping Charlie on the other hand seems to want to take over my lawn. And that's fine with me, it's green, can walk on it, doesn't grow very tall and covers bare spots quickly. I'm expecting the Battle of the Greens when it eventually runs into the Bermuda grass that's taking over another section of the lawn, I'm curious who will win that one.

But, never say never. I will take your advice and keep an eye on it in case it suddenly decides to take off.

Nancy, does your CC persist through summer? That is an ephemeral spring thing here, around at the same time as chickweed, henbit, Carolina Geranium, and velcro weed (Galium). I used to go around pulling those but if left alone they disappear very quickly as soon as it starts to get hot. Their mass is a welcome addition to the organic matter in the soil.

Yes, it stays nice and green all spring, summer and fall here, no problems at all letting it be a grass substitute. In fact, it stays greener than the Bermuda grass that looks ugly brown in spring and fall.

Edit just to add that I never water my lawn area at all either, it survives on whatever Mother Nature drops our way.