Euonymus americanusIndiana NativeIndiana Native
American Euonymus

 Plant Type:
 Growth Forms:
 Hardiness:
 Deciduous / Evergreen:
 Flower Notes:
Yellow (Yellow-green, 1/3" 5-petaled flowers, unusual as Euonymus typically has 4-petaled flowers)
 Foliage Notes:
Green (Dark green); Red (Shades of red in the fall)
 Stem Notes:
Slender, 4-sided, squarish stem.
 Fruit Notes:
Red (Bright red, warty seed capsules open to bright red seeds)
 Ultimate Height:
4-6 feet
 Ultimate Spread:
4-6 feet
 Bloom Times:
 Light Requirements:
 Soil Water Requirements:
 Soil Notes:
Moist, loamy to dry soils
 Range:
Eastern United States and west to Texas.
 Maintenance:
 Diagnostic Characteristics:
Leaves are opposite, simple, lance-ovate to lanceolate, 1/2 to 3 1/2" long, 1/2 to 1 1/4" wide, acuminate, cuneate, glabrous, crenate-serrate, flat medium green, turning yellow to green to shades of red in fall; petiole- 1/12 to 1/8"long. Seeds are a yellow-white with a bright red seed coat at 1/4" diameter. Seeds are encased by showy, 3-5 lobed, warty capsules that turn a bright red in the fall, ranging 1/2 to 3/4" in diameter.

Additional Information

The American Euonymus is a small, suckering shrub that is native to the eastern portions of the United States, west to Texas. Normally, the American Euonymus can be found in woodlands and can tolerate deep shade and a wide range of soil types. Its flowers are unusual for Euonymus because of its five-petaled flowers instead of the usual four for most other Euonymus species. Other common names, such as Strawberry-bush or Hearts-a-Burstin, are derived from its showy fruit capsules that turn a bright red in the fall and split open to reveal a bright red seed. This species is particularly susceptible to scale, even in remote woodland regions, which is a noted issue when considering use in the industry.

When Euonymus americanus has been observed flowering or fruiting at Purdue University

Flowering

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No Fruiting Observations Available

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