Hearts-a-Burstin'
Common Names: Strawberry Bush, Hearts-a-bustin', Hearts-a-burstin, Bursting-HeartLatin Name: euonymus americanus
General Info
- Native to US.
- Flowers in spring, but looks like it puts out the cool fruits in the fall.
- Fruit are poisonous for humans.
- It can be damaged by Euonymus Scale insects that pick on evergreen Asian euonymus species.
- The strawberry bush is also prone to suckering, which may be pruned or left to grow as in nature. About suckering: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/tgen/tree-sucker-removal-and-tree-sucker-control.htm
- The plant tends to sucker from the roots, and in moist locations shrubs can form thickets.
- likes woodland areas.
- It's native to our area, so probably not much we need to do
Soil Requirements
- slightly acidic to neutral soil.
Water Requirements
- Prefers plenty water, though drought tolerant.
Fertilization
- light fertilization. Too much can burn the foliage.
- Once or twice in the summer
- Shrubs such as Hearts A Bustin Euonymus americanus grow best if they are fertilized once or twice in the summer. Although some authorities recommend special fertilizer mixes to get the maximum results, Hearts A Bustin Euonymus americanus does amazingly well with a more relaxed approach. Either chemical fertilizers or organic matter can be used successfully on your Hearts A Bustin Euonymus americanus. Since an organic method of applying manure and/or compost around the roots, produces excellent results and also improves the condition of the soil, this would be an excellent first line of attack. Organic additions to the soil can also be combined with a shot of chemical fertilizer for maximum effect. If chemical fertilizers are used on your Hearts A Bustin Euonymus americanus, applying a slow-release, balanced fertilizer such as Plant-tone by espoma once a year is probably the simplest solution. There are many slow-release fertilizers on the market. If you can find a fertilizer formulated for shrubs and trees, this fertilizer would work well on Euonymus. However, slow-release is certainly not the only way to fertilizer Hearts A Bustin Euonymus americanus. A less expensive fast release fertilizer such as a 10-10-10 will work just as well if applied twice during the summer. If you are looking for a fertilizing routine tailored to your specific conditions, a soil sample should be taken and the fertilizer and trace elements matched to the needs of your soil.
- In the South, a late May application and another in July would be about right.
- Don’t fertilize Hearts A Bustin Euonymus americanus or any Euonymus after August.
Pruning
- Prune the suckers from the roots if you like.
Seasonal View
Spring
- Starts flowering
Summer
- Fertilize a couple times - May and July
- Stop fertilizing end of summer
Fall
- Stop fertilizing.
- Fruits and then prepares for dormancy