Above and below. Photo credits. Karen Mulcahy.
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.
Sources:https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants, https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=caam2, other authoritative resources and personal experience.