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Wahoo

Euonymus atropurpureus

Common names:
wahoo, eastern wahoo, eastern burning bush

Content Detail

Wahoo is a native small tree or large shrub found as an understory plant in rich woods and along stream banks. It is a colony-forming plant. It has small, purple hanging flowers in spring, beautiful fall color and four-capsuled fruit in fall. It may be difficult to find in nurseries.

This species is native to the Chicago Region according to Wilhelm and Rericha’s Flora of the Chicago Region.

  • Family (English) Staff-tree
  • Family (botanic) Celastraceae
  • Tree or plant type Tree, Shrub
  • Foliage Deciduous (seasonally loses leaves)
  • Native locale Chicago area, Illinois, North America
  • Size range Large shrub (more than 8 feet), Compact tree (10-15 feet), Small tree (15-25 feet)
  • Light exposure Full sun (6 hrs direct light daily), Partial sun / shade (4-6 hrs light daily)
  • Hardiness zones Zone 4, Zone 5 (Northern Illinois), Zone 6 (City of Chicago), Zone 7, Zone 8, Zone 9
  • Soil preference Moist, well-drained soil
  • Drought tolerance Moderately tolerant
  • Other tolerances Alkaline soil
  • Season of interest late spring, late summer, early fall, mid fall
  • Flower color and fragrance Purple
  • Shape or form Irregular, Round, Thicket-forming
  • Growth rate Moderate

Size and Form

A 12 to 20 feet high and 10 to 20 feet wide small tree or large shrub with an upright, irregular form. It can form colonies.

Native Geographic Location and Habitat

This plant is found in the Chicago area and is common along streams. C-Value: 9

Bark Description

The bark is gray and relatively smooth, developing splits as it ages.

Leaf Description

Simple, opposite leaves, are oval with a very finely toothed edge. They are dark green and 2 to 5 inches long. The fall color is pink to red.

Flower Description

Small maroon flowers with four petals appear on long stalks, in loose clusters, in late spring.

Fruit Description

This plant yields an attractive, four-lobed reddish-pink fruit capsule with scarlet aril.

Plant Care

Removal of suckers may be needed to control the plant size.

List of Pests, Diseases, and Tolerances

Euonymus scale may be a problem on this plant. It is tolerant of black walnut toxicity.

Related Species: Strawberry-bush Euonymus (Euonymus americanus):

Also known as American euonymus, this is an open, suckering shrub reaching 4 to 6 feet high. It is often found in low, moist wooded landscapes and swampy areas. All parts of the shrub are green. The fruit resembles a strawberry. It may be difficult to find in nurseries.

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