Wahoo or Burningbush is a large, gangly shrub or small tree with simple, opposite, finely toothed leaves.

Quite rare in North Carolina, Wahoo has been found in only a few counties. The usual habitat is riverbanks and rich bottomland forest, but it may be found on slopes over basic rock. In NC we have variety atropurpureus; another variety occurs in Texas.

Seedling with Cystopteris protrusa, which also tends to be associated with basic rock.

Caswell Co., NC 5/30/10.

Compare with the much more common Euonymus americanus, which has smaller, narrower leaves with very short petioles.

Caswell Co., NC 5/30/10.

Caswell Co., NC 5/30/10.

Caswell Co., NC 5/30/10.

Small airy clusters of flowers appear under the leaves in late spring.

Caswell Co., NC 5/30/10.

The four-parted flowers are small and purplish (hence the specific epithet atropurpureus); the fruits (not shown) burst open to reveal bright red seeds.

Caswell Co., NC 5/30/10.

The leaf undersurfaces are hairy, unlike any of our other species of Euonymus.

Caswell Co., NC 5/30/10.

The stems are greenish and may be slightly angled.

Caswell Co., NC 5/30/10.

Bark of a small tree.

Caswell Co., NC 5/30/10.