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| The lone strawberry bush (Euonymus americanus) in the arboretum collection has produced a surprising number of fruits this fall. You can find this scrawny shrub at the bottom of a slope, next to a decaying sweetgum trunk, which you can read about here. |
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| Strawberry bush, as a species, has had representation in the arboretum collection since 1985. Jack Price donated these first four plants, and he also donated five plants in 1996, and two more in 2002. Unfortunately, this species has not thrived. Today, we have one spindly bush.. |
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| It is partially hidden by one of the large, black arboretum signs. |
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| The fruits are bright red and eye-catching in large quantities. |
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| The fruits look orange-red next to the pink capsules from which they dangle. |
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| Strawberry bush fruits, like the other parts of the plant, are poisonous, according to the NC State University Cooperative Extension. |
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| So, do not eat these fruits! |
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| A handful of fruits were picked for inspection and for a germination project. In his article "Germination of the Seeds of Euonymus americanus L. with the use of Rumen Fluid of Cows" (1986), Gary T. Howard tells us that germination is not easy with these fruits; it seems that these seeds need to be ingested by a ruminant, such as a deer, before mixing with the dirt. However, since we have so many fruits, why not try them in the soil of the Centenary College campus? |
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| Euonymus americanus seeds, October 10, 2021 |
