Jesse Saylor
Family
Celastraceae
Botanical Name
EUONYMUS obovatus
Plant Common Name
Running Euonymus, Running Strawberry Bush
Special Notice
This entry has yet to be reviewed and approved by L2G editors.
General Description
Quickly growing with its low, sprawling, bright green stems, running strawberry bush produces magenta fruits and attains a fall foliage color palette of maroon, pink and purple. A deciduous shrub with prostrate stems that root when they touch soil, it is native to eastcentral North America from the Great Lakes to the Tennessee River in moist and dry woodlands. This species is not susceptible to the scale that plagues more others in Euonymus.
The perfectly rounded oval leaves are tapering and an emerald green. In late spring, small flowers appear, seemingly laying atop the leaves on long stems and have mauve-tan-green petals. By late summer, the small prickled fruits ripen to magenta-red and will split open to reveal their orange-red seeds; the fruits often bleach to a lighter red or pale pink. In autumn the leaves take on tones of purple, dark red and pink, persisting late into the season.
Use running strawberry bush to vegetate partially shaded slopes, hillsides and sweeps in the woodland garden. A fast grower, it excels in moist, fertile soils but is tolerant of average to slightly drier ground although not as densely foliaged in such conditions. In North America, this species is recommended as an alternative to the invasive and scale-prone wintercreeper (Euonymus fortunei), as well as groundcover periwinkles (Vinca spp.).
There are potential health concerns regarding parts of this plant, for further information, visit http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/poison/Euonysp.htm .
Characteristics
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AHS Heat Zone
9 - 1
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USDA Hardiness Zone
4 - 8
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Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17
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Plant Type
Shrub
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Sun Exposure
Partial Shade, Full Shade
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Height
9"-14" / 22.9cm - 35.6cm
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Width
5'-25' / 1.5m - 7.6m
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Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer
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Native To
North America, Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, North-Central United States, Central United States, Canada
Ornamental Features
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Flower Interest
Insignificant
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Flower Color
Light Green, Plum, Sandy Brown
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Fruit Color
Red, Magenta, Orange Red
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Fruit Color Modifier
Bicolor
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Foliage Color (Spring)
Green
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Foliage Color (Summer)
Green
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Foliage Color (Fall)
Yellow Green, Pink, Rose, Burgundy, Dark Red
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Foliage Color (Fall) Modifier
Spotted/Mottled
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Bark Color
Lime Green, Sandy Brown
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Fragrant Flowers
No
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Fragrant Fruit
No
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Fragrant Foliage
No
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Bark or Stem Fragrant
No
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Flower Petal Number
Single
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Repeat Bloomer
No
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Showy Fruit
Yes
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Edible Fruit
No
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Showy Foliage
No
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Foliage Texture
Medium
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Foliage Sheen
Matte
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Evergreen
No
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Showy Bark
Yes
