Burning Bush

It is named after its bright red fall colors, which make for an incredible display. This large, rounded shrub has become ubiquitous in American gardens, forests, and landscaping. Typically planted in spring, it grows somewhat slowly, but if correctly cared for, it can last for many decades. 

Officially designated as Euonymus alatus, they are native to northeastern Asia, specifically Russia, China, Japan, and Korea. It was initially introduced in the United States and Canada for display and has remained popular ever since. They thrive best in forests or thickets, where they can receive a good balance between sunlight, shade, and somewhat moist conditions. It can grow well in many soil types and, therefore, can adapt well to different kinds of woodlands. Today, people commonly plant them alongside fences, roadsides, commercial plazas, and the borders of forests.

They can grow from ten to twenty feet tall and equally wide. The stems of this shrub have four ‘wings,’ from which the distinctive deep red leaves grow. Each leaf can grow up to three inches long and one inch wide. When the blooms in the late spring to early summer, you’ll notice the green-looking flower. By late summer to early fall, the fruits manifest as red, round berries enclosed in an orange or yellow capsule.

Gardeners mainly like the Burning Bush's bold and sprightly bright red appearance. Beyond that, it’s a very adaptable shrub that does well in only moderately moist soil and with partial shade from the sun. It will need weekly pruning to help ensure it remains a manageable size. By the fall, the brilliant red display of the shrub will be at its brightest and most alluring, which is precisely what people who plant this shrub look forward to the most.

They bloom each year from late May through June. The blooms feature small flowers that are usually a yellow-green color. The dense, green foliage of the bushes often obscures the appearance of these flowers. During spring, the leaves become blue and bright red in the fall. From July through October, the flowers mature, turning into small red fruits. The leaves produce a green-brown hue during the winter. The bushes can reach up to 20 feet and be just as wide. Most have multiple corky-textured stems and branches and four ridges resembling square corners.

Because of their attractive foliage and spherical shape, they make great focal points in yards and gardens. Their bright crimson leaves and berries add lots of vibrancy to outdoor areas in spring and summer. You can plant a single bush to stand alone or several together to create more extensive decorative accents.

They feature a dense, bushy growth habit, making them ideal for creating neat, defined borders and edges. Because of their broad shape, the bushes are suitable for planting in containers around flowerbeds. You can easily prune them to keep the desired border size and shape. Because drought-tolerant, you can even use them in areas with limited soil moisture.

Burning Bush Has thick foliage that creates natural privacy. They can create a tall barrier to block views from nearby houses. Their dense foliage remains all year, giving you year-round privacy. These bushes usually grow about a foot each year. Because of how quickly they grow, they are handy for bridging spaces between flower beds, increasing the seclusion they provide. They are easy to shape to the height and density you wish to attain your desired privacy.