American Strawberry Bush, Hearts-A-Burstin’, Wahoo, Brook Euonymus

Description

The dainty white flowers of spring are soon followed by bumpy green fruits that mature to pink and then nearly to red. Once fully mature the pods split open to display the bright orange seeds inside giving it the name of Hearts-A-Burstin’. The American Strawberry bush is typically a deciduous to tardily deciduous large shrub (this selection seems to be more consistently evergreen) with green stems and dark to medium green, somewhat glossy foliage that is native to much of the eastern and central US. Excellent fall color in oranges, reds, and yellows. Images of fruit courtesy of Susan Thomas Spell

Strawberry Bush can be grown in light shade to full shade but seems to produce the fullest plants where it gets more light. Tolerant of moist to average soils but well established plants are moderately drought tolerant.

In the wild where it is commonly found growing along stream banks, the native White Tailed Deer may keep it eaten to ground and some biologists consider this plant to be deer candy.