Burning Bushes ....Brilliant Fall Foliage
the Burning Bush (Euonymus alatus)
A deciduous shrub from the Staff-Tree Family (Celastraceae)
Burning Bush, a non-native species from China and Korea, has
escaped from the ornamental plantings into neglected urban and
rural areas. It travels by way of its seed. This vase-shaped
shrub has outstanding red fall foliage, which blazes for weeks
in early to mid-autumn. Burning Bushes are usually sheared into
hedges or globes in landscape plantings. If left unpruned, the
compact form of Burning Bush will grow to about 12 feet tall and
15 feet wide, and the species (winged) form will grow to about
15 feet tall and 20 feet wide. In our area it propagates
naturally in shaded areas. We obtain some of our stock from
seedlings we gather from a small farm cemetery on our
property.Burning Bush is adaptable to a variety of soil
conditions. Fertile to sterile, organic to clay, acidic to
alkaline, rocky to sandy this plant proves its vigor. It does
not like wet soils, but does well in dry soils. Its small
fiberous roots are near the surface and responds well to root
pruning. Balling and burlapping this shrub does little damage
for the plant can take abuse and recover quickly. If you have a
brown thumb, then this plant is for you. You can see more of
Bill's planting tips and articles at http://www.seedlingsrus.com
or http://www.zone5trees.com