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Euonymus berries #926529

Asked March 22, 2026, 8:46 PM EDT

We have had our Euonymus shrubs growing in our back yard for decades. Today, I noticed berries on the bushes and the ground where they fell off the plant. We have never seen berries on these bushes in all the years they have been growing. Is it possible that this is the first time the plant put out these berries??? Is there anything we should do other than just let them fall off? Thank you for your reply.

Arapahoe County Colorado

Expert Response

Hello,

Thanks for reaching out to Ask Extension about your Euonymus berries. 

Most Euonymus do flower, even though many species have small and inconspicuous flowers that we may not notice. Those flowers do turn into berries. 

There are several reasons you may not have noticed them before, including wildlife eating them (ever notice birds in the area?). Sometimes immature plants can take a while before they become prolific bloomers and fruit producers. Pruning can also be a factor. If you prune at the wrong time of year, and remove the flowers, or prune after flowering, then the fruit will be removed before maturing. 


There is no harm in leaving the fruit on the ground, but you can also remove them.

Here is more information about Euonymus in general:

https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/euonymus/

I hope this helps,

Dawn


Dawn Fradkin Replied March 25, 2026, 3:52 PM EDT

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