Eastern Wahoo
Arbor Walk #47, Treekeeper ID #6770
This small tree is a Missouri and Chicago-region native offering attractive bright red fruit and beautiful color in the fall. The shrub is highly adaptable to a variety of soil conditions, and in the wild grows in many environments from wooded stream banks to open thickets. Though all parts of the plant are today recognized as poisonous if ingested, the bark, leaves and fruit were all historically used for medicinal purposes.
| Common Name | Eastern Wahoo |
|---|---|
| Latin Name | Euonymus atropurpureus |
| Indigenous Name(s) | Miami: mahweeyaahkwi; Quapaw: žíwe ttą́ka hi |
| Cultivar/Variety | |
| Commercial Name |
Global Distribution
GPS Coordinates
N/A
Percent Concrete
N/A
Distance to Buildings
| Year | Close Building #1 | Close Building #2 | Close Building #3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Somers Family Hall, 27.13 m | McDonnell Hall, 52.66 m | Goldfarb Hall, 91.13 m |
Distance to Other Species
| Year | Close Species #1 | Close Species # 2 | Close Species # 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Eastern Wahoo, 2.46 m | English Oak, 4.92 m | Eastern Wahoo, 2.52 m |
Standard Measurements
| Year | Height (m) | DBH (cm) | Caliper (m) | Crown Diameter N-S (m) | Crown Diameter E-W (m) | Average Crown Diameter (m) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 3.7786 | 0.017 | N/A | 1.23 | 1.47 | 1.35 |
| 2023 | 3.25 | 5/9.5 | N/A | 2.98 | 1.98 | 2.48 |
Nests and Pests
| Year | Description |
|---|---|
| 2020 | No obvious indication of nests or pests on this tree |
Leaf Identification
The leaves of the Eastern Wahoo are about 5″ long with an oval to elliptical shape, a pointed tip, and fine toothing along the margin. They are a deep green and stay attached all year.
Twig and Bud Identification
The twig generally remains green as it matures, turning slightly gray as it becomes woody. Buds taper to a sharp tip, and have an elongated shaped.
Bark Identification
The Eastern Wahoo has relatively smooth, dark brown bark. Some vertical marking is present, although not forming furrows.
Fruit Identification
The Eastern Wahoo has scarlet red capsule fruit with (usually) 4 distinct three-dimensional lobes. They become prominent in fall.
Flower Identification
The flowers of the Eastern Wahoo are reddish purple, with four petals and four sepals underneath. The flowers hang on long pedicels that droop down below the stem. They are small and inconspicuous, and bloom in late spring.
