I am trying to ID a shrub that is growing all over one hillside of my woodland property in Maryland (coastal plain). My two leading candidates: Viburnum Nudum Cassanoides, or Euonymous Europaeus. Can anyone tell me how to tell the difference, with only the leaves and stems to go by? The largest one I have is about 12' high I would guess.
It's not in flower right now, and I don't see any fruits, either. But as I recall the flowers looked in spring, they were whitish panicles that fit the description of Viburnum. The way it's behaving, though, growing all over the place where a couple of large trees were lost a few years back, it sure seems like something invasive. If it is a dangerous exotic, I will go after it, and pull up the babies. If it is a harmless native, I will trust that other things will be able to grow past it.
For context, there are many exotic shrubs on the property, as well as various vines and ground covers escaped from where they were once planted in the landscape. But we also have a lot of native flora, and the mingling has been going on for almost sixty years since the lot was first built and landscaped.