Romantic Name for a Native Shrub

During my weekly walk through our woodlands, my attention was drawn by a bright spot of color. It was the brilliantly colored seed clusters of Euonymus americanus, (yoo-ON-uh-mus ah-mer-uh-KAY-nus), commonly called Strawberry Bush or Hearts-a-Busting. As we were growing up, my sister called these Cat’s Paws. There is a strong resemblance between the seed clusters and the bottoms of my cat’s feet. The flowers occur in late spring to early summer and are forgettable – small, with yellow-green petals. In contrast, the seeds clusters are quite noticeable, with orange-red berries bursting from a burgundy capsule. The contrast sounds ugly, but is quite beautiful. The unripe seed capsules resemble strawberries, hence the common name. Leaves are narrow, medium green, and about three inches long. You are most likely to notice Strawberry Bush in fall, when their seeds color up and leaves turn yellow-green or occasionally red. Do not confuse this native with its cousin, Euonymus alatus, “Burning Bush” which is known for its brilliant red fall foliage.

Strawberry Bush is native to the southeast. It will thrive in sun or shade in zones 6-9, and is not demanding although it enjoys a soil containing plenty of organic matter. Observers are most likely to find them in areas that are protected by surrounding vegetation since deer like to nibble. Songbirds and wild turkeys eat the seeds and spread them about.

Strawberry Bush looks best in shady woodlands. Although low-maintenance, think twice before placing it in a manicured border. It is not a beauty queen. Its stems are green year-round, but the form is sort of gangly. Shrubs spread by suckering, which adds to the unkempt appearance. They reach heights up to six feet wide with a similar spread. Use them in native gardens or as a native hedge.

Enjoy the orange-red seeds with darker purple-red sepals but don’t be tempted to taste test. The seeds are mildly toxic and cause significant stomach upset.

Do not confuse native Euonymous americanus with the non-native Euonymous alata, commonly known as Burning Bush. Burning Bush has brilliant red fall color. The seeds look a little bit like Strawberry Bush, but they are held in singles instead of clusters. Euonymous alata is invasive. “Invasive” means that it will spread and will out-compete native shrubs. It is tempting to use the words invasive and aggressive interchangeably but they are not the same. An aggressive plant spreads energetically but does not displace native plants. Know the difference, and try to use the correct term. Currently, responsible landcape designers in the southeastern US will not recommend the invasive Burning Bush. A new, sterile form was recently introduced. So, there is still a possibility that we can enjoy the gorgeous fall color of Burning Bush without concern for invasiveness. Stay tuned as I follow the news about trials of the non-invasive version, Fire Ball Seedless® Burning Bush, a Proven Winners introduction.

Strawberry Bush or Hearts-a-Busting plants love a woodland setting.

Native Euonymous americanus is seen here coexisting with wild grape.

Euonymous americanus flowers, courtesy of Wikipedia

This is the invasive Euonymous alata, Burning Bush. If you love its fall color, plant ONLY the new, sterile form.

Anise Shrubs for the Garden

It seems unfair that bright yellow ‘Florida Sunshine’ Illicium is getting landscape attention to the exclusion of other species, so I want to share the love with other Illicium that are garden worthy.

Illicium floridamum, pronounced il-LISS-ee-um flor-ih-DAY-num, is commonly called Florida Anise, Mexican Anise, or Purple Anise. It is native to the southeastern US and Mexico. Plants are cold hardy in zones 7 – 10. Florida Anise will attain heights up to ten feet when grown in rich soil. Leaves are thick, shiny, and evergreen. The texture and scent of the leaves deter damage from deer or rabbits. The crushed leaves smell a bit like licorice. Unfortunately, its lovely reddish flowers stink like stale fish. This does not deter pollinators, who flock to the blooms. Plants are supposed to flower in early spring, but I have seen several in flower this September, likely a byproduct of the abnormal weather this year.

Florida Anise loves damp shade. It is not drought tolerant. Leaves and flowers are toxic to humans and livestock. There are multiple cultivars available with different shades of flowers (pink to maroon); some have variegated foliage. There are several dwarf cultivars which are easier to incorporate into a foundation planting on the shady side of the house. Keep their water needs in mind when picking a location.

Illicium parviflorum, Yellow Anise, is more cold hardy and larger than the Florida Anise. It grows well in zones 6-9, and will reach up to twelve feet if left unpruned. It likes partial shade and can tolerate occasional drought. Its crushed leaves are fragrant like Florida Anise, but the pale yellow flowers do not smell bad. It is reputed to be deer tolerant. It can be used as a hedge or as a foundation plant where space allows. The plant is toxic; do not eat or allow pets and children to eat.

The aforementioned popular ‘Florida Sunshine’ is a cultivar of Illicium parviflorum. Its yellow foliage brightens a shady bed where another popular yellow shrub, ‘Sunshine’ Ligustrum, might suffer from low light. Too much sunshine results in bleached leaves or crispy leaf margins on the Anise. It is less deer resistant than the darker green leaf types.

A third Anise, Illicium henryi, is commonly called Henry Anise or Chinese Anise. It has been difficult for me to locate this shrub in local nurseries or online. This China native is shorter (only 6-8 feet) and will tolerate more sun than those above. Flowers are orange, pink, or red.

Illicium floridanum

Illicium parviflorum

An Unusual Native Shrub for Spring Flowers and Fall Color

One of the top reasons we moved to a country town was to avoid noise, light pollution, and traffic. As the southeast US grows, our car traffic has increased exponentially and my patience with other drivers (too slow, too fast, or too stupid) has shrunk. A “traffic jam” in our current area means we can see four cars at a time. I love the slower pace of life. So, when we left our home to enjoy lunch in a neighboring NC town and saw six cars (gasp!), it meant that our chosen driving route detoured away from the main streets and through an older neighborhood. It was an opportunity to check out home landscaping and scrutinize gardens I would not have otherwise seen. Wonder of all wonders, in the uncultivated ditches of Columbus, NC, a native shrub was putting on her spring show.  Mapleleaf Viburnum was in full flower.

Mapleleaf Viburnum is Viburnum acerifolium, pronounced vih-BUR-num a-ser-ih-FOH-lee-um. Other common names include Mapleleaf Arrowwood and Dockmackie. The fuzzy leaves are shaped like maple (Acer) trees. This shade-loving shrub is native to the eastern half of the North America, from Canada all the way down to north Florida. It will spread via suckers to form a thicket. The flat clusters of tiny white flowers will mature into blue-black berries only when another genetically different plant is around for cross pollination. Like PawPaw, the suckers are clones of the mother plant and cannot pollinate themselves.

Bees and other pollinators love the pollen and nectar of Mapleleaf Viburnum, and birds and small mammals enjoy the fruit.

As pretty as the flower clusters are, I think Mapleleaf Viburnum is at its best in fall, when leaves turn pink, rose, red, orange, or purple. This understory show happens in dappled shade, while most other brilliant fall colors are happening in full sun.

Mapleleaf Virburnum will grow to six feet tall and six feet wide. It wants acidic soil and prefers moisture when young but will tolerate drought once established. It is moderately resistant to damage by deer. Plants can be propagated from seeds or stem cuttings.

You won’t find this gem in big box stores or smaller nurseries. Seek it in specialty nurseries or mail order companies as a beautiful choice for woodland gardens, pollinator gardens, native gardens, or hedges. Shrubs are deciduous, so privacy hedges provide less screening in winter than in summer.

A close view of Mapleleaf Viburnum flowers

This plant was growing in a ditch, planted by nature (birds) and not by human hands.

One version of fall color. Others are orange, yellow, or purple shades, depending upon soil, sun, and weather. This image by Katja Schulz, CC BY 2.0.

Fatsia for a Tropical Appearance

Fatsia japonica (pronounced FAT-see-uh jah-PON-ih-kuh) is a broadleaf, semi-evergreen shrub (or short tree) with a decidedly tropical appearance. Native to Japan and Korea, Fatsia is prized for its large, shiny, dark green leaves. It has clusters of white flowers in fall. that resemble drumsticks.

Fatsia prefers moist, well-drained, acidic soil and partial shade in zones 7-10. It is important to keep the soil consistently moist, but not waterlogged, to avoid root rot. Fatsia also benefits from regular fertilization during active growth. Do not fertilize in winter. Locate the plant away from windy areas to avoid torn or brown leaves.

Fatsia can grow quite large, reaching up to 20 feet tall and wide. Prune it regularly to maintain its shape and size. Pruning can be done any time of the year, but is best undertaken in the late winter or early spring before new growth appears. It can be propagated from stem cuttings in the summer and may self-sow from dropped seeds.

Fatsia is relatively pest and disease-free, but it can be susceptible to scale insects and spider mites. Deer find the leaves tasty. In areas with high deer pressure, consider container culture so that plants can be draped or relocated. Container plants will not grow as tall as ground-grown plants.

This Fatsia looks fabulous when its bold leaves are seen in contrast to a small-leaf Azalea (left), variegated Hosta (middle) and burgundy foliage of a Japanese maple (right)

Calycanthus, Carolina Allspice or Sweetshrub

Sweet Shrub is a homely shrub with a heavenly scent. Native to the southeast, Sweet Shrub grows in part shade. It will reach heights of six to ten feet, and spreads indefinitely by suckering. Flowers of the species are nondescript, wine colored, and easy to overlook. Newer cultivars have larger, more attractive flowers but may not be as fragrant as the older type. The flowers have a scent that is described as a cross between strawberry and kiwi. Bruised foliage has a pleasant scent also.

Sweet Shrub (Calycanthus floridus, pronounced kal-ee-KAN-thus FLOR-id-us) is perennial in zones 4-9. It will reach heights up to 12 feet in clay or loamy soil with an acidic or neutral pH. Flowers have strap-like petals (tepals) in shades of burgundy to brown. Newer cultivar ‘Athens’ has white flowers and ‘Aphrodite’ has a brighter red bloom than the straight species. ‘Hartlage Wine’ has larger, showier flowers.

Locate Sweet Shrub in a woodland garden to seating or pathways so that its fragrance can be enjoyed. Flowers are popular with pollinators and shrubs are usually ignored by deer.

This is the native version of Calycanthus, Sweet Shrub. Newer cultivars have larger flowers. Reports indicate that newer cultivar ‘Venus’ is equally fragrant.