Flora of the Southeastern United States

Euonymus atropurpureus Jacquin. Common name: American Wahoo, Burning Bush, Bleeding Heart, Waahoo. Phenology: May-Jul; Aug-Oct. Habitat: Bottomland forests, riverbanks, mostly on rich alluvial sediments, or on slopes over mafic or calcareous rocks. Distribution: NY west to ND, south to Panhandle FL and TX.

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Taxonomy Comments: Two varieties are sometimes recognized: a widespread var. atropurpureus and var. cheatumii Lundell endemic to Dallas County, TX. Var. cheatumii is alleged to differ in having lower leaf surfaces persistently pubescent , at least on the veins (vs. glabrous) and the leaf apices merely acute or short acuminate (vs. long acuminate).

Synonymy ⓘ: = C, F, FNA12, G, GrPl, Il, K4, NY, Pa, RAB, S, S13, Tn, Va, W, WH3, WV; = Euonymus atropurpurea — Mi, Voss (1985); = Evonymus atropurpureus Jacq. — Tat, orthographic variant; > Euonymus atropurpurea var. atropurpurea; > Euonymus atropurpureus Jacq. var. atropurpureus — Ar, NE, Tx; > Euonymus atropurpureus Jacq. var. cheathumii Lundell, orthographic error; > Euonymus atropurpureus Jacq. var. cheatumii Lundell — Tx; > Evonymus atropurpurea var. atropurpurea — NcTx, orthographic variant; > Evonymus atropurpurea var. cheatumii — NcTx. Basionym: Euonymus atropurpureus Jacq. 1772 [1773]

Links to other floras: = Euonymus atropurpureus - FNA12

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Wetland Indicator Status:

• Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FAC
• Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACU
• Great Plains: FACU
• Midwest: FAC
• Northcentral & Northeast: FACU

Heliophily ⓘ: 3