American Strawberry Bush (Euonymus americanus), also known as Hearts-a-bursting or Bursting Heart, is an uncommon shrub of moist but not saturated soils in lowland woods and thickets. The bright pink husks of the fruits are adorned with noticeable tubercles. The Wahoo (Euonymus atropurpureus), often called the “Wild Burning Bush”, is similar but has smooth husks on the fruits and fine hairs on the undersides of the leaves. It favors slightly drier soils over diabase and limestone and is sparingly distributed in alluvial terraces of the lower Susquehanna floodplain. Because of their specialized soil requirements, neither of these native species has the invasive qualities of the non-native Winged Euonymus (Euonymus alatus), the widespread Asian burning bush that has escaped cultivation to overtake understory ecosystems in many of the regions forests and woodlots. Both of the indigenous species are available for sale through select native garden nurseries. The non-native Winged Euonymus was declared a “noxious weed” in Pennsylvania in 2025 and its sale and distribution is now illegal. In Maryland it is categorized as a “Tier 2 Invasive Plant”, thus banning its shipment into the state from outside vendors. At in-state garden centers, consumers must be warned of its invasive proclivities and advised of better alternatives.
