09/01/2026
At Bullington Gardens, now is the time to see the bustin’ hearts of the American strawberry bush (Euonymus americanus), aka hearts-a-bustin’! This attractive perennial shrub tolerates a wide range of soil and moisture conditions. The spring flowers resemble strawberries. In late summer the seed capsules “bust” open to expose five large seeds covered by bright red arils. Its leaves turn red in fall. The flowers attract pollinators and although poisonous to humans, the leaves are grazed by deer and the arils are eaten by birds and small mammals.
