Euonymus atropurpureus Jacq.

American Wahoo; Eastern Wahoo; Burning Bush

Shrub

Perennial

Vascular

American Wahoo is a native deciduous shrub or small tree in the Bittersweet family (Celastraceae). It is native to central and northern Alabama in areas underlain by limestone. It can be found around the edges of cedar glades, in low prairie woodlands, in rich woodlands over limestone, and along small streams. It is an upright shrub or small tree to 20 feet in height. The bark on younger twigs in green and smooth. It becomes tan to gray and slightly rough with age. Leaves are petiolate, opposite, deciduous, and elliptic to ovate or oblong in outline. The margins are serrate. The leaves turn bright red or orange before falling in the autumn. An alternate common name for this species is “Burning Bush”. Flowers are produced in axillary cymes of 7-20 flowers. Each flower has 4 maroon or reddish-brown petals. The fruit is a smooth 4-lobed pink capsule. American Wahoo is listed as a S2 species in Alabama (typically 6 to 20 occurrences, few remaining individuals, acres, or miles of stream, or factors demonstrably making it very vulnerable in the state), and globally as a G5 species (demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery). American Wahoo is available from some nurseries. It prefers a neutral or basic soil and full sun to light shade. It is cultivated primarily for its fall color and for its unusual fruit which are consumed by a variety of bird species. Although it has been used for a variety of medicinal purposes, all parts of the plant are poisonous if ingested.--A. Diamond

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Native FAC (NWPL) S2 (State Rank) G5 (Global Rank)

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