Question
Does Euonymous 'Aureo-variegata' get a whitish powder on the leaves just because of the plant it is... is it a normal thing that happens? Or is it always a mowdery mildew?  My girlfriend said it happens every year, but now (Jan) it does not appear on the leaves, they are glossy.
The shrub receives maybe 3 hours on sunlight and is up against a garage wall on the east side.
I was told by a nursery that Euonymous plants ocassionally just have a whitish condition thats not a problem; is that true?  How would I identify a mildew problem?  Should I disregard the condition she spoke of?  The shrub does look healthy.  Thank you!

Answer
Linda,
I am aware of no other whitish powders that would develop on a euonymus except powdery mildew. Powdery mildew is a disease that will not kill the plant outright, instead it blocks off the photosynthetic process in the leaves, which weakens the plants. The reason that you don't see it now, is that it is too cool for the disease to become active.
The easiest way to control this disease is to spray the euonymus with a good quality horticultural oil in the spring and cut back on the amount of water that the plants recieve. If the problem persists, a fungicide such as Armicarb 100 should be applied in the spring.