STAFF-TREE FAMILY 



The Running Euonymus was long regarded a va- 

 riety of Euonymus americanus, but is now considered 

 a distinct species. It is an admirable carpet shrub to 

 cover waste places, as it will flourish, both in sun and 

 in shade, and looks bright and fresh and green late 

 into the autumn. It is well placed upon a bank, its 

 scarlet and crimson fruit makes a beautiful combination 

 with the green. It seems to be immune to the attacks 

 of insects, probably because of the acrid character of 

 its juices. 



The chief attraction of all the burning bushes is 

 the unique and beautiful fruit which ripens in early 

 autumn and hangs upon the branches long after the 

 leaves have fallen. While there are minor differences 

 which are considered specific characters, the family 

 fruit is a fleshy capsule more or less lobed, sometimes 

 warty and sometimes smooth, becoming crimson 

 when ripe and finally opening to discharge beautiful, 

 bright scarlet seeds, so that the effect is a brilliant 

 scarlet-crimson combination ; and as many species 

 fruit abundantly the plants are sought whenever late 

 autumnal effects are desired. The burning bushes 

 rank with the barberries, the snowberries and the 

 winter-berries as decorative shrubs. 



The Strawberry Bush, Euonymus americanus, is a 

 native of low woods, ranging from southern New 

 York to Florida and westward to Nebraska, and Texas. 

 It certainly is not as abundant in the middle west as 

 Euonymus obovatus. It is an erect shrub growing two 

 to six feet high, with four-angled and ash-colored 

 twigs ; the branches set upon the stem at wide angles. 

 The leaves are opposite, thick, almost sessile, crenu- 



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