Asked on Oct 28, 2013
Type of Plant?
+93
I haven't paid much attention to this bush since moving into my new house, but it turned bright red this fall. I love the color, but I have no idea what type of plant it is. Any guesses?
69 answers
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I believe it is a Burning Bush (euonymous alatus).
The Garden Frog with C Renee
on Oct 28, 2013
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I agree, burning bush
Pam Park
on Oct 28, 2013
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Are the stems or branches squarish looking?
360 Sod (Donna Dixson)
on Oct 28, 2013
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Looks like a burning bush, great red in the fall.
Sensible Gardening and Living
on Oct 28, 2013
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Yes, you have a beautiful Buning Bush. The red color is lovely in the Fall. I have two, but it seems the one that gets full sun brighens the best. The one in part shade barley starts to show color when a killing frost knocks off all the leaves!
All About Rose Gardening
on Oct 28, 2013
- See 4 previous
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Burning bush...: )
Angie W
on Oct 28, 2013
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Really pretty. Burning bush sounds about right to me too.
No longer available
on Oct 28, 2013
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they have little whiteish flowers in spring. mine did not turn red this year
Lavada Jones
on Oct 28, 2013
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It's definitely a burning bush.
Janice Frans
on Oct 28, 2013
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Poison oak...ha ha ha..just kidding!
Gra189536
on Oct 28, 2013
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I didn't think burning bushes got this tall like a tree
Penny
on Oct 28, 2013
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you can cut it back and trim it up and it will come back thicker!
Sue Rauch
on Oct 28, 2013
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it looks like my burning bush. Mine are tall. I have cut them back twice. I need to do it again.
Irlene Petersen Mears
on Oct 28, 2013
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Tyler, your Burning Bush is so big. It's the prettiest one I've ever seen!
Karen B
on Oct 28, 2013
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I have one about the same size in our yard. I love it!
Diana K
on Oct 28, 2013
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Burning bush, looks exactly like mine, they come in miniature and regular which is large like this one..Mine is big also.
Mary
on Oct 28, 2013
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Its a fire bush I believe
Cheryl
on Oct 28, 2013
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You have a GORGEOUS bushing bush, my dear! And yes, you can prune them back without fear, they'll just grow back just as pretty if not moreso.
Lynne H
on Oct 28, 2013
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that is definitely a burning bush. I have one in my yard that is half the size of yours.
Elvina T
on Oct 28, 2013
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Have always called it a fire bush, same as burning bush. Have never seen one so large. Look at the stem and u will see it is like a triangle instead of round. They can be trimmed as much as u like and it will come back even prettier. Beautiful red leaves in fall.
Diana R. Greene
on Oct 28, 2013
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It is a burning bush, it should have little tiny berries on it also. FYI, if you have goats these are poisonous to goats...all parts of this bush are deadly to goats.
Terry
on Oct 28, 2013
- See 2 previous
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Looks like my burning bushes
Nora Jean Strohmier
on Oct 28, 2013
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A BIG Burning Bush!!!!
Elaine T
on Oct 28, 2013
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It's a burning bush. I have two in front of my home that I keep trimmed to a reasonable height.
Carolyn
on Oct 28, 2013
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it's a burning bush. I have 5 large ones along my fence line. they are great! no problems for pets either
Natalie Patterson
on Oct 28, 2013
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It's a burning bush and my son has one in his yard and it always turns red at this time of year
Cindy Kakuk
on Oct 28, 2013
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Burning bush.
Kathleen F
on Oct 28, 2013
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@carolynm actually, according to the aspca, these are very toxic to dogs, cats, and horses. http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants/burning-bush
Debi N
on Oct 28, 2013
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and they can be invasive in some climates.
TJ
on Oct 28, 2013
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We always called them a burning bush, think they came from Mexico.
Peg Hurt
on Oct 28, 2013
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looks like a burning bush Any tiny red berries on it?
Sherry Antes
on Oct 28, 2013
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Yes, that's a Burning Bush. I have a small on next to my deck stairs. From the looks of yours, I guess I'd better move it! haha
Charlene S
on Oct 28, 2013
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Burning bush. We have a couple in our front yard.
Susan
on Oct 28, 2013
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MIne is to big to try and move! I might take some clippings and start some new ones. I always thought a row of these would be beautiful! Especially because the color comes so late in the season when the rest of the garden is done.
All About Rose Gardening
on Oct 28, 2013
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I purchased a 'Dwarf burning bush' 10 years ago, it is about six feet tall even after being trimmed back dramatically three times. Never realized that the berries are toxic to small animals until reading these comments, however the birds do cherish them during the cold winter months!
Jenifer Junkins
on Oct 28, 2013
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a beautiful burning bush! And I don't believe reports that those are invasive. I would take bunches of them.
Becky P
on Oct 28, 2013
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Watched a male pheasant feast on the berries of my burning bush this morning.. Right beside my front door.
Carol Pakenham
on Oct 28, 2013
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Burning bush
Sherry Payne
on Oct 28, 2013
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Never saw a burning bush so tall!
Eileen S
on Oct 28, 2013
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This is a burning bush - the are not sold in MA anymore and are illegal to buy. We have 3 in front of our house and they grow INSANE huge! Lovely bush though :-)
Jan249064
on Oct 28, 2013
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Euonymus Alatus.....Burning Bush
TRD Designs Ltd.
on Oct 28, 2013
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They are also called "Fire on the Mountain" but most call it the Burning Bush
James Bryan C
on Oct 28, 2013
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it is a burning bush and you can trim them back to control them .
Fay Sessions
on Oct 28, 2013
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a burning bush, if you cut it back it will get bushier. I really cut mine back one year and it looks great now
Debbie Gilroy
on Oct 28, 2013
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fire bush
Judith Horton-Holm
on Oct 28, 2013
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Burning bush, we just looked at buying them yesterday. Make wonderful fall displays
Liz Smith
on Oct 28, 2013
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A burning bush. They will make a great hedge. I have about 40 down a horse fence. The older ones are about 10 feet tall. A nice green in summer. Then beautiful in the fall
Becky Griffin
on Oct 28, 2013
- See 1 previous
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Burning bush. I have 3 in my yard that is looking good right now.
Van193369
on Oct 28, 2013
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I also have a dwarf burning bush. It grows more slowly I think, but I didn't get to trim it this spring and it is at least 6 feet around. If you get one, be sure to plant it in sun so it gets great color. I planted mine on the north side of the house and, although it does turn a lovely red, it doesn't get really brilliant red.
Vivian S
on Oct 28, 2013
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I bought one about 10 years ago it is now 10 feet tall and about 8 feet around we have had to trim the back off against our house it is too big to move I don't want it to die so I guess we well keep triming!
Shirley Burkett
on Oct 28, 2013
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I live in West Virginia and I have never heard of this bush,but it sure is a dandy. Good luck with yours.
Marlene Wilson
on Oct 28, 2013
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Burning bush is so invasive in the Northeast that its sale is banned in Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Hampshire. It has naturalized through much of the eastern half of the country. Anyone considering planting it should read this article from Dave's Garden first: http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/3082/
Douglas Hunt
on Oct 29, 2013
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definately a burning bush have 2. Jane- why r they illegal in MA?
Dana Huempfner
on Oct 29, 2013
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Here is a close-up of the leaves and branches. I didn't realize how odd the branches are until looking closer.
Tyler Golberg
on Oct 29, 2013
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Burning/beauty bush-here's a pic of mine, about 20 yrs old; started out in a 1 gal. size container from a big box (gasp) store. Blue birds in it yesterday after the tiny red berries.
Shirley H
on Oct 29, 2013
- See 1 previous
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I like being able to feed the birds without buying them birdseed, the bush gets bigger & prettier every year-if that's ":invasive" so be it.
Shirley H
on Oct 29, 2013
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Well Bonnie, what goes in must come out. So what happens is that the bird spreads the seed through it's' digestive system. You who are in control of your space, this is ok....for the natural areas, not so much. The shrub will develop unfettered by the bounds of a polite gardener that is vigilant against overgrowth. Soon the native plants are crowded out. Then the wildlife that feeds on the native growth is diminished to an endangered level and there ya go...you have an entire ecosystem wiped out by an invasive thug planted by a single bird munching on the seeds from that beautiful Burning Bush. Your neighbor doesn't know this because your neighbor keeps all that in check in their own personal space and isn't aware of what happens to those seeds when it leaves in the belly of a bird. The problem is that too this is a relatively new 'discovery' so you will see the Burning Bush sold in even reputable nurseries and in books by gardners. It is not a widely known thug plant such as something like the dreaded Kudzu vine. You will see even in my own earlier posts on Hometalk I talked about what a wonderful fall color it brings. But upon further research (thank you @Douglas Hunt ) I have come to the conclusion that it is indeed a plant that needs to be avoided if possible. There are other plants that give us some wonderful color so that it won't be missed. Hope that helps you. If you type in Burning Bush and invasive into google you can find many articles by much more learned folks than myself. :)
360 Sod (Donna Dixson)
on Oct 29, 2013
- See 2 previous
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In Franklin, NC, these are planted along the median on the highways going into town, and they are gorgeous....not at all invasive around here!
Paula Canup
on Oct 30, 2013
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@360 Sod (Donna Dixson) does a very good job of explaining how burning bush becomes a problem. Just because you do not see lots of seedlings in your yard does not mean the plant is not invasive. Birds cause "long dispersal events," spreading it far and wide, where it crowds out native species in the environment.
Douglas Hunt
on Oct 30, 2013
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Point well taken Mr. Hunt & Ms. Dixon; should mine ever die out, I promise not to replace it with another like species. Until then, I will continue to enjoy it & all the fine feathered friends it does help support.
Shirley H
on Oct 30, 2013
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Though we like the birds visiting our homes, we could remove the berries, so that the birds can't carry them forward. That would be one way to slow the spread of these beautiful bushes.
Jean DeSavage
on Oct 30, 2013
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Doug is absolutely right about the euonymous being invasive. We have q few growing on the edge of our property now. But their red color right now is glorious.
June
on Oct 30, 2013
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while the old standard burning bush is considered invasive there are varieties that are sterile being developed therefore not invasive. as with many types of useful or beautiful plant that has been considered invasive also while on the subject of invasive plant please remember while many a plant may be considered invasive where one person lives, where someone else is it may not be invasive at all or even a annual. also some plants considered invasive such as mint or crown vetch do have thier uses such as erosion control where there grab and grow style makes them useful.
April E
on Oct 30, 2013
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It makes sense if they really do damage to other plant life but there seems to be lots of room up here in NH for them to grow with other species. To tell the truth I see them in other ppl's yards but I have not noticed very many in the wild, I will keep a look out for them
Bonnie Bassett
on Oct 30, 2013
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I never heard of the Burning Bush as being invasive. Never saw any seedlings growing in my gardens. I have 4 large bushes and love them. I live in South Jersey zone 7.
Linda
on Oct 30, 2013
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I'm actually getting ready to plant 2 in my yard....I love the color....: )..........I'm looking at the non-invasive type... http://www.houselogic.com/blog/plants-trees/non-invasive-burning-bush/#.
Angie W
on Nov 01, 2013
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here are some links that can provide more information on the invasiveness of Burning Bushhttp://ctnofa1982.blogspot.com/2010/11/spotting-invasive-plants.html http://bhld.wordpress.com/2009/10/ http://www.restoringthelandscape.com/2010/12/thats-invasive-winged-burning-bush.html http://www.hgtvgardens.com/shrubs/pretty-is-as-pretty-does the next link is some suggested alternatives http://www.hortmag.com/weekly-tips/alternatives-to-invasives http://www.gazettenet.com/living/homegarden/5308458-95/beware-of-the-invaders-seek-out-native-replacements-for-burning-bush-bittersweet-and-other
360 Sod (Donna Dixson)
on Nov 02, 2013
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@Angie W, while the University of Connecticut is working on a sterile cultivar of burning bush, I do not believe one is ready for nursery production. And here's at least one author who thinks such efforts are misguided: http://nativeplantwildlifegarden.com/developing-sterile-invasives-why-bother/
Douglas Hunt
on Nov 02, 2013
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Thank you Douglas....: )
Angie W
on Nov 02, 2013
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