7 Reasons You Should Never Plant Burning Bush in Your Landscape

Burning bush (Euonymus alatus) is a shrub of dualities, which we’ve come to realize in the century-plus since its introduction in the United States. Burning bush gained popularity as a landscape ornamental, but in spite of its beauty, there are some reasons why you should never plant it.

Burning bush, native to Asia, came to the United States in the mid-1800s. Its ornamental attributes, durability, and four-season interest made it desirable in home landscapes, commercial areas, and highway plantings. In the fall, its foliage glows in shades of scarlet and fiery red. You’ll spot it right away this time of year, often standing as a focal point and featured specimen in the landscape.

Burning Bush Overview

Euonymus alatus (winged euonymus or burning bush) is indigenous to Northeastern Asia, Japan, and Central China. It grows across USDA hardiness zones 4-8 in the eastern, central, southeastern, and midwestern U.S., from New England to northern Florida and west to Missouri.

In addition to its brilliant fall color, it features distinct winged branches with corky ridges lining the stems. In May and June, tiny greenish-yellow flowers emerge, leading to the bright orange-red berries that ripen in late summer and early fall.

The vigorous grower reaches up to 20 feet tall and 12 feet wide but typically grows four to 10 feet tall, with dwarf varieties available in cultivation. ‘Compactus,’ ‘Little Moses,’ and ‘Rudy Haag’ are popular compact selections.

Winged euonymus is sometimes confused with the native species Euonymus americanus (strawberry bush or hearts-a-bustin’). Strawberry bush is a smaller, non-winged shrub with showy fruits. The pendulous fruits resemble strawberries and then burst open to reveal brilliant berries.

The carefree burning bush adapts to a wide range of growing conditions. Drought-tolerant, it prefers well-drained, loamy soils in dry shade but does well in most soils, including clay. Wet, poorly drained soils are the exception to its vigor.

Displaces Native Vegetation

The most significant reason to never plant burning bush is its aggressive spread that suppresses native species. It escapes the garden and moves readily into natural areas, where it outcompetes existing vegetation for sunlight, nutrients, and water. Moreover, it takes up soil space, displacing native plants and preventing a diversity of species.

It populates forests, fields, meadows, and coastal habitats. As an exotic species with monoculture tendencies, it alters wildlife habitat by disrupting native plant communities. Wildflowers, ephemerals, perennials, shrubs, and tree seedlings can’t penetrate the complex root systems or leafy overgrowth.

Prodigious Seeds

Winged euonymus reseeds with abandon. Birds and small mammals who forage on the fruits are the primary spreaders, carrying and disseminating the seeds into nearby areas. Seedlings then pop up and continue the colony.

The plants produce an astonishing amount of seeds, leading to a “seed shadow” of hundreds of seedlings beneath the mother plant and beyond. After flowering, fruits emerge that hold four seeds each. A dwarf selection, the popular ‘Compactus’ produces an average of 1238 seeds per plant in late summer.

Dense Growth

In addition to self-seeding, the shrubs spread through vegetative root growth. They form dense thickets and groves, shading out other plants and absorbing nutrient resources.

When a stem is cut or broken, it produces multiple new stems. This quick production increases seeding potential and vegetative spread.

Wide Growing Range

A significant factor in burning bush’s spread is its ability to grow across a wide range of climate zones and conditions, which is actually another important reason to never plant it. It tolerates various temperatures, soils, and light exposures. While these are redeemable qualities in desirable selections, rampant spreading negates benefits here.

Winged euonymus flourishes in deep shade and under woodland canopy as well as in full sun, from front yards to open meadows. It populates woodland edges, interior forests, roadsides, and disturbed areas. Its habitat ranges from mountainous forests to coastal zones.

The indiscriminate grower adapts to various soil types and pH levels. It tolerates compaction and eroded areas. It can form a dense grove, whether in interior forests or open thickets.

Difficult to Control

Controlling and removing individual plants is straightforward; however, minimizing the spread is difficult since it’s generally through seed dispersal. Prevention is the best method of control. The first step is not planting E. alatus to begin with.

If you have an existing shrub, there are a few options for removal. Small plants pull easily by hand, especially in moist soils. Digging and removing most of the root system of larger shrubs is best. 

Some gardeners opt to repeatedly cut stems to the ground, clipping new sprouts as they emerge to deprive the plant of photosynthesis. Targeted application of broad-spectrum herbicide kills stems after cutting.

Burning bush doesn’t have many pests or diseases to hinder growth. Spider mites and scale may be issues. There aren’t major predators, either, though deer occasionally browse.

Self-Pollinating

Each winged euonymus has everything it needs to reproduce. Plants possess both male and female flowers. Both male and female flowering leads to prolific reproduction and fruiting as bees and breezes visit the inconspicuous blooms in spring.

Each stem holds multiple clusters of tiny flowers in groups of three. Once pollinated, they generate fleshy, capsule berries and interior seeds.

Impacts on Wildlife Food Sources

Studies suggest native plant communities support migrating birds by providing berries high in necessary fats and energy stores. Nonnative shrubs like E. alatus may not perform as well in the nutrition they provide. Native fruits studied contain higher energy densities and fat content than nonnative selections.

While birds devour the fruits as a fall and winter food source, they lack the nutrition of native alternatives. Research finds birds opt for native species over nonnatives when available.

Alternative Options

There are many viable alternatives to burning bush that we can feel good about. These include North American natives with colorful autumnal foliage and berries. They bring multiseason appeal and support a diverse local ecosystem that doesn’t alter soil composition.