Bursting Heart (Euonymus americanus) is a medium-sized deciduous shrub that grows naturally in swamp margins, shaded stream banks, and sloped wetlands. It has a sprawling growth pattern when young but becomes more erect as it matures. The small greenish-yellow flowers that appear in spring are not showy, but they give way to extremely showy, warty, crimson-red fall fruits. The fruit capsules resemble the common strawberry, but while one of the common names is Strawberry Bush, please note that Bursting Heart is considered toxic to humans. The 5-lobed capsules split open when ripe, revealing orange-red fruit (hence the common name Bursting Heart). The fruits are eaten by songbirds, wild turkeys, and small mammals, and the leaves turn a striking burgundy-red in the fall. Bursting Heart is a larval host for the White-marked Tussock Moth (caterpillar shown above).

Conservation Status: Listed as endangered in the state of New York.

We ship from two locations:

• Maryland – Our nursery in Maryland is perfectly located to serve the Eastern United States within a 2-3 day shipping window. You will receive the most reasonable shipping rates from our Maryland location if you live east of Ohio.

• Illinois – Our nursery in Illinois is perfectly located to serve the Midwestern United states within a 2-3 day shipping window. You will receive the most reasonable shipping rates from our Illinois location if you live west of West Virginia.