Burning Bush: Accurate Identification

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- Burning bush, also known as winged euonymus, is a popular landscape shrub despite it being a known invasive plant.

Originally introduced from Asia in the mid-1800s, its ability to invade natural areas was first documented in the 1970s.

Because its attractive fall color and eye-catching fruit are unique among shrubs, garden centers and homeowners are reluctant to discontinue the use of this shrub.

Though not as aggressive as other invasive shrubs, its ability to grow under mature forest canopy and prolific seeding make it a shrub with enough concern to be ranked a significant threat to native plant communities by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Burning bush is a deciduous shrub that grows up to 15 feet tall.

It has football-shaped, oppositely arranged, finely toothed or serrated leaves that are between one and two inches long.

The leaves turn a brilliant purplish red to scarlet before senescing, or dying, in the fall.

Its four-petaled, greenish yellow flowers are held in groups of three on the stems.

Each flower is less than a half inch across.

The flowers emerge in early spring, are not showy, and can be easily missed.

Burning bush stems are vibrant green with raised tan or brown corky ridges or wings along the twigs.

They may follow the stem strictly lengthwise, or be whorled or twisted slightly.

The height of the wings is variable among individuals.

The brilliant reddish-orange fruits are enclosed in a purplish capsule.

The capsule husk splits open in the fall, revealing four red-orange seeds, each about 1/2 inch in diameter.

Despite their bright red coloring, they tend to blend in with even more showy fall foliage.

Burning bush is primarily spread by birds dispersing their abundant fruit.

The fruits often persist into winter when they become more visible to birds and mammals.

Many seeds fall to the ground where they germinate close to the parent plant, often creating a dense thicket of seedlings.

Burning bush's tolerance of deep shade is at the core of its success in invading natural habitats.

Though it can also grow in full or partial sun, it thrives in forest interiors where there's less competition from other invasive shrubs.

Burning bush grows on a wide range of sites, though are often found not far from a source of seed in a landscape setting.

There are several native lookalikes that may be confused with burning bush, including the native strawberry bush, also called hearts-a-bursting.

The native strawberry bush has four angled, wingless green stems, as do the native Euonymus species.

Saplings of the native sweetgum tree have winged twigs and branches and may be confused with burning bush.

However, their leaves are star shaped, containing five lobes, and do not possess the brilliant crimson fall color of burning bush.

Despite its prevalence in the landscape industry, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources recognizes burning bush as a significant threat to native plant communities.

Because it successfully invades natural habitats, homeowners and garden centers should think twice before planting or distributing this invasive shrub.