 Photo Courtesy of K. Hubeny |
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| Common Name(s) | Strawberry Bush | ||||
| Scientific Name | Euonymus americanus | ||||
| Family | Celastraceae | ||||
| Location/Vegetative Zone | Thicket | ||||
| Flowering Period | May-June | ||||
| Identifying Characteristics | 2-12 feet tall, egg-shaped leaves; red, warty fruits | ||||
Description
- Grows up to 12 feet tall
- Opposite leaves simple and toothed, 2 to 4 inches in length
- Small yellow-green flowers that are saucer-shaped, have 5 green/purple petals
- Fruit is a four-lobed capsule that is red in color; opens to reveal an orange-red warty aril in the autumn
- Grows in deciduous forests, low, sandy thickets, and swamps
- Located in Plains, Mid-Atlantic, Great Lakes, Florida, Southeast, Texas.
Medicinal/Edible Uses
- Native Americans used the roots to make a tea for stomach and urinary problems
Cultural Uses
- Ornamental throughout many cultures
Misc
- Also known as wahoo, bursting heart, fish wood, burning bush, hearts-a-burstin-love, brook euonymus
- Many of the common names come from the appearance of the fruits, similar to a strawberry in appearance
- The fruit and bark of the Strawberry contain glycosides that cause severe diarrhea in humans
- When ingested the berries may affect the heart, possibly causing cardiac arrest
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