Hearts-a-bustin',  Euonymus americanus 

A striking native shrub prized for its bright green twigs, unusual spring flowers, and stunning scarlet, strawberry-like fall fruit capsules. Also known as Strawberry Bush. 

• Partial shade to full shade, thrives as an understory shrub in dappled shade. It can tolerate full sun, but may suffer from leaf burn and pest issues.

• Soil prefers a fertile, deep loam high in organic matter. Avoid perpetually soggy or compacted soils.

• Prefers consistent moisture. Found naturally along stream banks and moist forest edges. Drought-tolerant once established. lds.

• Deciduous and perennial, it reliably returns each year in USDA Zones 6 - 9.

• Mature size, 4 to 8 feet tall, grows as a loose, multi-stemmed shrub that can form small colonies via root suckers. Slow-growing but highly valued for its year-round interest.

Propagation

Euonymus americanus seeds require double dormancy (physical seed coat and internal embryo dormancy). A special, multi-step pre-treatment is necessary. Winter sowing should be sufficient, or use the following methods.

Scarification Method: Gently rub the seeds against medium-grit sandpaper or make a tiny nick with a knife (away from the embryo) to penetrate the hard outer coat.

Warm Stratification (30 Days): After scarification, sow seeds 1/4 inch deep in moist, sterile mix. Keep at room temperature for 30 days. Keep the soil moist.

Cold-Moist Stratification (90–120 Days): After the warm period, place the sown pot (or the seeds mixed with moist media in a bag) into the refrigerator (temperature for 90 to 120 days.

Sow: If seeds were stratified in a bag, sow them 1/4 inch deep in pots. If stratified in pots, move them to a warm, bright area.

Germination: Keep the soil consistently moist. Germination is slow and can be erratic, taking several weeks to months after the cold period ends.

Other points of interest

Unusual Flowers: In late spring, the shrub produces small, inconspicuous, yet curiously beautiful, yellow-green to reddish-brown flowers with five distinct, flattened petals.

Year-Round Forage (Deer): This shrub is considered a highly preferred browse species for White-tailed Deer. Deer readily consume the leaves, twigs, and bark throughout the year.

Crucial Bird Food (Fruit): The plant's scarlet fruit capsules burst open in the fall, revealing bright orange-to-scarlet seeds. Although toxic to humans, these seeds are a favored food source for many species of ground-foraging birds (such as Wild Turkeys) and other birds (like Cardinals), which consume the oily aril (the fleshy seed coating) and aid in seed dispersal.

Insect Support (Flowers): The small, inconspicuous, yellow-green to reddish-brown flowers that bloom in late spring provide a source of nectar and pollen for small native flies, bees, and other insects.