Western Wahoo Euonymus occidentalis
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- yoo-ON-ih-mus ok-sih-den-TAY-liss
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Western Burning Bush is a species of Euonymus, or Spindletree, a genus of deciduous or evergreen flowering shrubs. The parent plant is native to East Asia, but species are widely distributed in Canada and the continental United State. In nature, the Western Burning Bush it is often found in mixed deciduous forests or natural areas in low woodlands, deep moist woods, shaded stream banks and canyons and is the only member of its genus growing wild. Western Burning Bush is a mounding deciduous shrub or small tree native to western North America. This plant can be difficult to find, even in its native western states.
Western Burning Bush prefers full sun to partial shade and moist sandy loam soils, although it can be grown in a wide variety of soils, including clay, and tolerates drought, some shade, and wet soils to a degree. It will tolerate temperatures down to 5 degrees F. Fruits and seeds are eaten by birds and small mammals. In the landscape, Burning Bush is typically sited in cool, shaded woodland gardens or higher elevation, forested gardens.
Insects, diseases, and other plant problems:
Susceptible to scale, anthracnose, powdery mildew, and crown gall.
The Clemson Cooperative Extension Home & Garden Information Center has a factsheet on common pests and diseases.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Euonymus
- Species:
- occidentalis
- Family:
- Celastraceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Western Canada to California
- Distribution:
- California, Washington State, Oregon, and British Columbia.
- Fire Risk Rating:
- low flammability
- Play Value:
- Attracts Pollinators
- Edibility:
- Many parts of the plant are toxic to humans.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 6 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 10 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Poisonous
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Mounding
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Pink
- Purple/Lavender
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Description:
- Deeply 3-lobed, smooth pink or purple fruit with brown seeds. The fruit is a rounded capsule with three bulging lobes. It opens to reveal one seed in each of the three lobes. The seed in concealed in a red aril.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Pink
- Red/Burgundy
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Cyme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Long Bloom Season
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Purple-brown flowers, finely dotted with a transparent margin. Five small flowers at the end of a long peduncle. Each flower has five rounded pink to brown and white mottled petals around a central nectar disc with 5 nubs. Flowers bloom from March to August.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Shape:
- Obovate
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- The thin, green, oval-shaped leaves are up to a half inch long and sometimes rolled under along the edges, ovate to obovate, with a tapered base.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- The erect branches are slender and often climbing. Young branches are 4-angled, not corky winged.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Riparian
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Flowering Tree
- Hedge
- Specimen
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Problems:
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
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Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- Low
- Poison Symptoms:
- Toxic only if eaten in large quantities. Can cause vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, chills, coma, and convulsions. Heart rhythm abnormalities with large doses.
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- Alkaloids, Cardenolides
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- No
- Poison Part:
- Bark
- Flowers
- Fruits
- Leaves
- Roots
- Sap/Juice
- Seeds
- Stems
