Burning bush

Sun

Full sun to partial shade; autumn colour is usually strongest in full sun.

Water

Moderate; water regularly while establishing. Established plants tolerate short dry spells.

Soil

Well-drained soil, including clay that does not remain waterlogged; tolerates acidic to alkaline conditions.

Height

10-20 ft (3-6 m)

Spread

10-20 ft (3-6 m)

Flowers

Small, inconspicuous greenish-yellow flowers in late spring.

Foliage

Opposite, oval green leaves turn pink to scarlet in autumn; colour can be muted in shade. Bare stems have distinctive corky wings.

Growth

Slow to moderate.

Care needed

Medium

• Pollinators
• Cold hardy
• Wildlife
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Very tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1.8 ft (0.54 m)

2. After 1 year

   4 ft (1.1 m)

3. After 2 years

   6 ft (1.8 m)

4. After 3 years

   8 ft (2.4 m)

5. After 5 years

   12 ft (3.6 m)

About 7 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Toxic

Invasive in

the US and Canada

In the garden

Spreads vigorously: plan to contain it.

Growth rate

Slow

• Before planting, check local invasive-species advice and sale restrictions.
• Water deeply during dry spells for the first two growing seasons; avoid keeping the roots saturated.
• Apply 2-3 in (5-8 cm) of organic mulch, leaving a clear gap around the stems.
• Do not feed routinely; use a light spring application of balanced fertiliser only if growth is poor and soil fertility is low.
• Remove seedlings promptly, including beneath nearby trees and hedges.

Pruning. Prune in late winter or early spring, removing dead, crossing or damaged branches and thinning crowded stems at the base. Avoid repeated hard shearing, which hides the branching structure and creates a dense outer shell.

Late winter

Thin crowded branches and remove dead or damaged wood.

Spring

Refresh mulch and check young stems for scale insects.

Late spring

Pull seedlings while small, including those beyond the shrub's canopy.

Summer

Water establishing plants during dry weather and inspect stippled leaves for spider mites.

Early autumn

Where practical, remove developing fruits before birds disperse the seeds; this does not reliably prevent escape.

Late autumn

Check surrounding beds and woodland edges for escaped plants and plan removal where locally invasive.

• Where locally appropriate, use as an autumn focal point against a dark evergreen background.
• Allow space in a large mixed shrub border for its broad, rounded outline.
• Use as an informal deciduous screen where winter privacy is not needed.
• Place where bare winter branches can be seen against a plain wall or contrasting planting.

Garden styles it suits: Traditional, Formal, Japanese, Autumn colour and Winter interest.

Plant it with: Witch hazel, Oakleaf hydrangea, Christmas fern and Japanese forest grass.

Wildlife: Flowers attract some small insects, and birds eat the orange-coated seeds. Bird dispersal is a major reason this shrub escapes into natural habitats.

• Euonymus scale: look for white or brown encrustations on stems and leaves; prune heavily infested growth and use a labelled horticultural oil at the appropriate stage.
• Spider mites: fine stippling and premature leaf drop are more likely in hot, dry conditions; rinse foliage thoroughly and reduce drought stress.
• Root decline in wet soil: avoid waterlogged sites and correct drainage rather than watering or feeding more.
• Weak autumn colour: shade and warm autumn weather can reduce redness; choose a sunny position, but recognise that weather remains a factor.

Toxic to people, cats, dogs and horses if eaten, particularly the fruits and seeds; leaves and bark also contain toxic compounds. Ingestion can cause vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain, with potentially serious heart effects after larger amounts. Keep it away from grazing animals and seek medical or veterinary advice after ingestion.

Where it spreads. Invasive across much of the eastern and midwestern United States, including New England, the Mid-Atlantic and Great Lakes regions; sale or planting is restricted in several states. It also escapes cultivation and is considered invasive in parts of southern Ontario, Canada. Check current state, provincial and local guidance before planting.

• European spindle (Euonymus europaeus)

  Usually has green, angular young stems without the broad corky wings of burning bush, and conspicuous pink fruit capsules containing orange-coated seeds.

• Corky spindle (Euonymus phellomanus)

  Also has corky-winged stems, but generally has larger, more elongated leaves and pink fruit capsules; burning bush has smaller leaves and usually reddish-purple capsules.

• Summer cypress (Bassia scoparia)

  Sometimes also called burning bush, but it is an annual with narrow, soft leaves and no permanent woody, corky-winged branches.

The species name alatus means 'winged', referring to the corky stem ridges, while 'burning bush' describes the bright red autumn foliage.

Propagation. Semi-ripe cuttings can be taken in summer where growing it is permitted and environmentally appropriate. Seed needs lengthy dormancy-breaking treatment and is not a sensible choice where escape is a concern.

Accepted botanical name

Euonymus alatus

In the US and Canada

Introduced in Canada and the lower 48 states.

Native range

Amur, Buryatiya, China North-Central, China South-Central, China Southeast, Chita, Inner Mongolia, Irkutsk, Japan, Khabarovsk, Korea and Kuril Is..

Measured

Soil pH 4 to 7. Average height 275 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.