# strawberry bush (*Euonymus americanus*) The strawberry bush is a fun plant with bright green leaves and pretty pink fruits. It grows in many places and is loved by birds and other animals that eat its berries. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 18 - **Habitat:** Forests ![strawberry bush](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Euonymus_fruit.JPG&width=800) Photo: Fineau ( talk ), Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Euonymus_fruit.JPG) ## Appearance The strawberry bush has delicate, greenish-yellow flowers and bright green leaves that turn vibrant red in autumn. Its most striking feature is the warty, bright pink capsules that split open to reveal shiny orange-red seeds, resembling small, inedible strawberries. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Celastrales - **Family:** Celastraceae - **Genus:** Euonymus ## Interesting facts - Even in winter, its unique green stems stand out in the snowy landscape! - Indigenous peoples once used parts of this bush for medicinal purposes! - Its small, almost invisible flowers hide before the big, bold fruits arrive! - Some call it 'Hearts-a-bustin'' because of its amazing fruit shape! ## Special abilities - **Seed Launcher:** Strawberry bush has bright pink fruits that burst open to reveal vibrant orange seeds, attracting birds to help spread them far and wide. - **Shady Survivor:** Strawberry bush can thrive in deep shade thanks to its adaptation for efficient photosynthesis even with very little sunlight. - **Toxic Warning:** Strawberry bush has compounds in its seeds and fruit that are toxic to humans, protecting it from being eaten by many animals. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 120-240 cm - **Spread:** 120-240 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.5-1 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late spring to early summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Moderate - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits the small flowers - **Pollinates:** [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) — Helps fertilize its blooms ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Fruit Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-bearing): Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Fall Color](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fall-color): Fall color refers to the seasonal change in foliage pigmentation, primarily in deciduous plants, displaying vibrant hues. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Do not eat the berries from this bush, as they are not safe for people. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify strawberry bush? Compare how the fruit is clustered, the leaves and their arrangement, the stems and any thorns. Red, blue and black fruits grow on lots of unrelated plants, and the same color can show up on both edible and poisonous species. Berry Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is strawberry bush? 120-240 cm ### How wide does strawberry bush spread? 120-240 cm ### How big are the flowers on strawberry bush? 0.5-1 cm ### When does strawberry bush bloom? Late spring to early summer ### Is strawberry bush edible? No ### Is strawberry bush toxic? Moderate ### What is strawberry bush's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [American Baptist College](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/american-baptist-college) — Tennessee, US · Campus - [Blackbird State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/blackbird-state-forest) — Delaware, US · Forest - [Burke Lake Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/burke-lake-park) — Virginia, US · Park - [Cedarville State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cedarville-state-forest) — Maryland, US · Forest - [Central Shelby Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/central-shelby-historic-district) — North Carolina, US · Historic District - [Commerce Street Residential Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/commerce-street-residential-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Historic District [View all places to see strawberry bush](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/strawberry-bush) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Strawberry Bush: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/strawberry-bush)