This healthy vine has white seed pods that burst to show red fleshy seeds. It grows on oak trees, in the same manner as poison ivy. It is quite pretty this time of year and grows in Hot Springs Arkansas in the valley between small mountains. The photos were taken by Mark Corder. So far my research has not been successful.
A species of Euonymus, perhaps Euonymus fortunei? Other possibilities in Arkansas can be researched by using the USDA PLANTS database results for Euonymus.
Those pics could have been taken in my backyard here in Kansas. In fact I stumbled across this thread when I was searching for ID of same. I asked a master gardener a couple of weeks ago and she said it was a type of Euonymus. That gave me a place to start from and this morning had narrowed it down as close to Euonymus Fortunei but none of the photos on the internet looked exactly like it until I came to this thread. Your photos are the spitting image of my vine, both of the vine climbing the tree, and the close up of the pod and seed. What is interesting is that the database Daniel mentioned has Kansas on the distribution map for 2 of the 3 varieties of E.F. listed but Arkansas where you took these pictures is not on the distribution map for any of them. If you find exactly what variety of Euonymus it is, I'd like to know as well. KJ
Those pics could have been taken in my backyard here in Kansas. In fact I stumbled across this thread when I was searching for ID of same. I asked a master gardener a couple of weeks ago and she said it was a type of Euonymus. That gave me a place to start from and this morning had narrowed it down as close to Euonymus Fortunei but none of the photos on the internet looked exactly like it until I came to this thread. Your photos are the spitting image of my vine, both of the vine climbing the tree, and the close up of the pod and seed. What is interesting is that the database Daniel mentioned has Kansas on the distribution map for 2 of the 3 varieties of E.F. listed but Arkansas where you took these pictures is not on the distribution map for any of them. If you find exactly what variety of Euonymus it is, I'd like to know as well. KJ
Kathy, when a database map shows particular states for distribution, it is not an absolute that the plant does not exist in adjacent states. It only means that a specimen was verified in the states shown. Any plant could be locally quite prolific and still not make it onto one of those maps until someone takes the time to document.
Yes, but I suppose Hot Springs, Arkansas is quite distant from the edges of the neighbouring states that do have it -- so it's a bit of a leap if it is travelling across the landscape to not have been noticed. That said, a garden escapee + local population is definitely a possibility.
I took a sample branch from mine down to the county extension office which is a part of Kansas State University. They said the horticulturist was out today but that he would be in on Monday. The ones there immediately said Euonymus but couldn't tell me which variety or variant. I told them I was interested in knowing exactly. They said if the horticulturist doesn't know, they'll send it to KSU for ID. I'll let you know if I find out anything. KJ
The county extension horticulturist phoned this AM and said the sample did not quite look like the 40 some varieties of Euonymus Fortunei he had in a book, but when he asked about it's growing habit, he said it does sound like Euonymus Fortunei. He suggested I bring in fresh samples Monday after Thanksgiving and send it to KSU for positive identification. I intend to do so and hope the weather forecast down to the teens this week doesn't malform it beyond recognition. KJ
Here is the letter I received from my county extension agent: "We have received the report bback on your sample we sent to Kansas State University for identification. The scientific name is Euonymus Kiautschovicus "cv Manhattan" and the common name is Manhattan Euonymus. Report notes: The Manhattan Euonymus is one of the most popular cultivated semi-evergreen shrubs in Kansas. There are different forms of the species but the upright shrubby form is known as the Manhattan form. They have noticed that some plants continually sprawl and never obtain the upright form. On the internet--a lot of pictures are in the bush form. My particular plant exhibits 3 forms, the sprawling form along the ground resembling vinca minor (but much woodier), the bushy form around the base of a tree (as in Karen's photo) and some branches climbing the tree with little tentacles attached (as in Karen's photo). The little fruit pods, open to display the orange seeds exactly identical to Karen's photo. If Karen is still reading this she might send picture to this site (University of Arkansas) www.aragriculture.org/.../plant.../manhattan_euonymus.htm This link shows a picture of it in the bushy form and maybe they might know if it is in the wild in Arkansas. Kathy
Key on page 633 of Bailey (Manual of Cultivated Plants - Revised Edition, 1949) highlights these differences. E. fortunei Fl.: June-July Cymes: dense Lv.: thick E. kiautschovicus Fl.: Aug.-Sep. Cymes: loose Lv.: rather thin
Mine is definitely the later flowering one. The following two links are of interest. http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=EUKI5 This link shows that euonymus kiauthschovicus does occur in the wild in Arkansas. (However it is cultivated in my state (Kansas) so mine was most likely planted by previous owner although I do see some volunteer plants coming up in other locations of my landscape on occasion that I presume is from a "bird dropped" seed.) http://www.hsu.edu/default.aspx?id=7271 This link shows detailed pictures of the different seasons including flower and seeds. Kathy
I'm revising my opinion after checking more of these links from Henderson state university at Arkadelphia, Arkansas. http://www.hsu.edu/default.aspx?id=2543 http://www.hsu.edu/default.aspx?id=6378 The second link of e. fortunei indicates that it is indeed naturalized in Arkansas and this picture looks very much like Karen's. Observing the blooms and time of blooms would also be helpful. Kathy
