Name: Euonymus americanus aka Hearts a Bustin’

Type of Plant: A native Euonymus shrub appreciated for its open habit, drought tolerance and fall fruit. It grows 4 to 6 feet tall and 4 feet wide. Not particularly showy all summer, but a plant that suddenly comes into its own in autumn.

Why I love this plant: I fell in love with the name, Hearts a Bustin’, first of course. But the combination of the colorful seed pods and pale fall foliage color are enough to win my heart. This plant grows well in part shade, and is hardy in zones 6 to 9.

A Word to the Wise: All parts of this plant are poisonous. Not for Bambi, however. It’s known to be a favorite for deer browsing. Because of this I didn’t plant my Euonymus americanus in the gardens around my house, but instead placed it down where the deer cross my land. I decided that if it was indeed a deer magnet, it was better to have it keep these critters in the wild area and not in my gardens. Of course in the six years I’ve grown it the deer haven’t even given it a nibble. This is how deer are.

Euonymus americanus has colorful berries in the fall when the goldenrod is in flower. They are perfect companions I think.

Here is the first Hearts a Bustin I saw in North Carolina. It was love at first sight.

The leaves turn a pale tan peach in the fall which makes the plant even more attractive.