Identifying a Tree with Four-Sided Fruit and Orange Seeds in Indiana

A Terre Haute, IN resident describes a tree with four-sided fruit containing four orange seeds. Two strong candidates:

1. Winged Euonymus (Burning Bush) – Euonymus alatus

• Distinctive corky "wings" on twigs.
• Fruit: 4-lobed capsule, orange-red seeds.
• Brilliant red fall foliage.
• VT Dendrology factsheet.

2. Wahoo – Euonymus atropurpureus

• Similar fruit, but no winged twigs.
• Native to eastern US.
• Purdue profile.

Next Steps

Check twigs for corky wings. If present, it's burning bush (often planted, sometimes invasive). If not, wahoo is likely. Both are in the bittersweet family (Celastraceae).