How to Grow and Care for Burning Bush

Euonymus alatus and E. atropurpureus

Burning bush, Euonymus alatus, is a potentially invasive non-native woody shrub in the Celastraceae family.

It’s related to the native burning bush, E. atropurpureus, as well as native bittersweet, Celastrus scandens and its highly invasive non-native counterpart, C. orbiculatus.

E. alatus grows in USDA Hardiness Zones 4 to 8 and can reach heights of 15 to 20 feet with a spread of eight to 12 feet.

Compact varieties may be as small as six to eight feet tall and four to six feet wide.

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Aptly named, burning bush’s claim to fame is the show-stopping scarlet hue of its autumn foliage.

Read on to learn more about this controversial shrub and how to cultivate it safely in regions where it is permitted.

Here’s what I’ll cover:

Across almost half of the United States, from the Northeast to the South and Midwest, E. alatus is classified as invasive.

In some states, like Massachusetts and New Hampshire, it is actually banned, as it has the potential to spread prolifically via seed dispersal.

There are numerous Euonymus species related to E. alatus and many of them have invasive tendencies as well.

Why are we going to talk about how to grow an invasive plant?

Because for more than half of our US-based readers and a great many of our international ones, E. alatus is not considered problematic.

Please check with your local agricultural extension to determine if there are restrictions on planting non-native burning bushes in your region before attempting to do so.

For gardeners in regions with restrictions, you can grow an alternative species, a burning bush that’s native to the eastern United States, E. atropurpureus. You may find it is often called the eastern or American wahoo.

For our readers in locales without restrictions, you have the option to plant either type.

The showy burning bush, E. alatus, is of Asian origin, and was likely imported to North America in the 1860s to be used as an ornamental garden specimen.

In addition to burning bush, E. alatus is also known as winged euonymus, winged burning bush, or winged spindle tree, because of a unique feature of the stems.

They have flattened extensions like little propellers, which are described as corky and wing-like.

Historically, Euonymus stems were prized for use as knitting needles and thread spindles, hence the common name.

What wasn’t clear when these plants arrived on our shores was that they would jump their manicured beds via self-sowing, and over time, North American birds consume the fruits and contribute to widespread seed distribution.

Prior to their spectacular autumnal display, burning bushes have elliptical green leaves, and nondescript greenish-yellow blossoms appear in early spring.

In addition to their fall colors, burning bushes have pinkish pendant or hanging fruits that open like flower petals to reveal orange-red arils containing black seeds.

While they may have had a historical role in Native American medicine, the fruits are toxic and should not be consumed by people or pets.

Now, let’s look at how to grow a shrub at home.

How to Grow

Burning bush makes a striking standalone specimen, especially when cloaked in its signature scarlet.

It also makes an eye-catching focal point when it stands in contrast to green shrubs in a mixed group.

The dense branches make an outstanding formal or informal hedge when planted around patios and along property perimeters.

E. atropurpureus has airier branches that are suited to informal, unmanicured hedging.

And if you need to soften the sharp edges of architectural elements, like walls and fences, burning bush fits the bill, merging garden spaces and building materials with dramatic effect.

Where it is not classified as invasive, you can let shrubs of either species naturalize to create an expansive drift that explodes into a profusion of crimson every fall.

Light

E. alatus and E. atropurpureus grow best in full sun to part shade. These species can tolerate full shade, but the color will not be as vibrant.

In rare instances, burning bushes may not turn red. We cover this in a separate guide.

Soil

Water

Transplanted cuttings and nursery plants need consistent moisture after planting but should never be in soggy ground.

Once established, provide an inch of supplemental water per week in the absence of rain – or when the soil is dry two inches down. Mature shrubs have above average drought tolerance.

Fertilizing

In spring, apply a balanced, all-purpose, slow-release granular fertilizer per package instructions.

I usually sprinkle it in a ring around mine, and then lightly water it into the soil.

Cultivars to Select

If you buy a non-native shrub, you will receive a cultivated variety that has been developed from one or more species for landscaping use.

There is one sterile cultivar available, described below, but any of the others will self-sow.

Here are three varieties to consider in regions where they are not prohibited:

Chicago Fire

E. alatus ‘Timber Creek,’ aka Chicago Fire®, is an outstanding specimen with some of the brightest leaves you’ll find.

Chicago Fire

Like the glowing embers of an autumn bonfire, the scarlet foliage of this type adorns branches that rise to mature heights of eight to 10 feet with a spread of six to eight feet.

Find Chicago Fire® plants at Nature Hills Nursery in #3 containers.

Compactus

E. alatus ‘Compactus’ aka ‘Compacta’ lives up to its name as a smaller version of this fall favorite.

Topping out at a moderate six to eight feet tall with a spread of four to six feet, this type offers the small-space gardener the opportunity to enjoy a specimen planting that won’t overwhelm a garden scheme.

‘Compacta’

Find ‘Compacta’ plants from Nature Hills Nursery in #3 containers.

Fire Ball Seedless

Fire Ball Seedless™ is a sterile cultivar ideal for cultivating in regions where the species is legal but there is concern about it spreading.

Note that if E. alatus is banned in your region you will not be able to grow this one, even though it won’t spread.

Bred by horticulturalists at North Carolina State University, Fire Ball Seedless™ was released to market in 2025.

Fire Ball Seedless™

You can find plants in one-quart and two-gallon containers available at Fast Growing Trees.

And check out our guide to growing Fire Ball Seedless, a sterile burning bush for more information.

Pruning and Maintenance

E. alatus, and its native counterpart E. atropurpureus, are low-maintenance garden residents.

Use clean pruners to cut off any dead or dying branches so your shrub can refocus its efforts on feeding the healthy ones.

Prune off any damaged branches and remove all debris, to avoid attracting and harboring pests and pathogens.

Propagation

Although the burning bush produces seeds, cultivated varieties may not reproduce “true,” resulting in progeny that varies in quality and physical traits.

In addition, propagating seeds is the slowest way to start a new shrub.

Faster and better ways to begin are with softwood cuttings or starter plants purchased from a nursery.

Here’s how:

From Cuttings

In early summer, when the first flush of new growth is well underway, you can take cuttings from the growing tips of an established shrub for rooting.

1. Use clean pruners to snip off a length of stem that’s about four or five inches long. 
2. Pinch off the lower leaves so that the bottom three inches of the stem are bare.
3. Dip the freshly cut stem into rooting hormone powder.
4. Fill a six-inch-deep, well-draining container about three-quarters full with a sterile potting medium.
5. Make a three-inch-deep hole in the center of the potting medium with a pencil or dibber.
6. Place the dipped stem in the hole and tamp the medium securely around it.
7. Water well, and thereafter whenever the top two inches of the soil feel dry. Use a moisture meter to help with this task.
8. Tamp the soil down and water until it drips out the bottom of the container. Water a second time, and when the draining stops, place the pot in a sunny place, either indoors or outdoors.

When you see new growth, that means rooting is successful and you can transplant it into the garden.

Transplanting

Early spring and fall are the best times to plant rooted cuttings or nursery shrubs.

1. To transplant, use a long-handled, pointed garden shovel that you can step on.
2. Dig a hole at least twice as wide and twice as deep as the pot the shrub is in.
3. Work the shrub out of its nursery pot, and gently loosen the roots.
4. Place the root ball into the hole so that the crown is slightly above ground level.
5. Refill the hole, taking care to keep the shrub vertical. Tamp down and water well.

To plant a single shrub, choose a location with room for a mature spread of eight to 12 feet.

If you’re going to create a hedge, closer spacing of five to six feet is acceptable. If you have black walnut trees, don’t worry. This shrub tolerates juglone toxicity.

Apply a three-inch layer of mulch in a circle around the shrub after planting.

Pests and Disease

When it comes to anticipating issues with insects and pathogens, there are few to worry about with E. alatus.

In the event of severely dry conditions, spider mites may pose a threat. You can read about detecting and controlling spider mites here.

Taking care of infestations is important, especially as they may spread diseases with their piercing mouthparts.

Conditions that are too wet may also invite trouble, in the form of a disease called twig blight.

This condition causes the thinnest stems at the tips of woody plants to die back. It is caused by parasitic fungi in the Cytospora genus that overwinters in plant debris.

Also, Euonymus plants in general are prone to powdery mildew, a fungal condition that is treatable with a copper-based fungicide.

As for native E. atropurpureus, there are also few pest and disease concerns.

One pest that favors it is scale, a sap-sucking insect that secretes sticky honeydew, leaving a trail that is prime breeding ground for a fungal condition called sooty mold.

You can learn more about scale here.

And finally, you might want to read up on deterring deer, because they find the foliage of both E. alatus and E. atropurpureus to be very appetizing.

A Fall Extravaganza

If non-native E. alatus is not banned in your region, plant one as a focal point, or mass several for privacy, and set your autumn landscape ablaze with their vibrant red foliage.

If you live in a locale where E. alatus is prohibited for its invasiveness, or even if you don’t, consider planting native E. atropurpureus instead, and help support biodiversity and wildlife that depend upon endemic plants for their survival.

If you grow burning bushes and would like to share your thoughts, or if you have any questions that we can help with, please leave us a message in the comments section below.

And for more information about growing woody shrubs in the landscape, check out these guides next:

• How to Grow and Care for Russian Olives
• How to Grow and Care for Japanese Skimmia
• How to Grow and Care for Sweet Almond Bush