USDA, NRCS
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Winged Burning Bush
Euonymus alata
Origin: Northeastern Asia, Japan and Central China
Background
Introduced for use as an ornamental plant for landscaping
beginning about 1860. Widely planted by landscape
professionals and homeowners for its fall color, dark
green leaves, winged stems and other characteristics.
Distribution and Ecological Threat
In the United States, winged burning bush is found from
New England to northern Florida and the Gulf Coast and
also in Illinois. It threatens a variety of habitats
including forests, coastal scrublands and prairies where
it forms dense thickets, displacing many native woody and
herbaceous plant species. Hundreds of seedlings are often
found below
Britt Slattery, USFWS
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the parent plant in what is termed a "seed
shadow."
Description and Biology
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Plant: multiple stemmed, angular branching shrub with
conspicuously winged stems, normally 5 to10 feet high
but mature plants can grow to 20 feet.
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Leaves: deciduous, dark green, in pairs along stem,
turn brilliant red-purple in autumn.
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Flowers, fruits and seeds: inconspicuous, greenish
flowers occur in late spring and red-purple fruits
mature during summer.
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Spreads: expands locally through vegetative
reproduction and to new areas through bird dispersal of
seeds.
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Look-alikes: may be confused with other species of
euonymus, including our native strawberry bush, or
'hearts-a-bustin' (Euonymus americana),
which does not have winged stems. Saplings of native
sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) with winged
stems may also be mistaken for winged burning bush.
Prevention and Control
Do not plant winged burning bush. Manual, mechanical and
chemical means are available to control established
plantings. Seedlings can be pulled by hand. Shrubs can be
repeatedly cut to the ground to control re-sprouts, or cut
and treated with systemic herbicides like glyphosate and
triclopyr.
Native Alternatives
red chokeberry (Aronia
arbutifolia)
 
Both photos Britt Slattery, USFWS
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Virginia sweetspire (Itea
virginica)
Britt Slattery, USFWS
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mapleleaf viburnum (Viburnum
acerifolium)
USDA
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highbush blueberry
(Vaccinium corymbosum)
Britt Slattery, USFWS
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silky dogwood (Cornus amomum)
Chris Miller, NRCS
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fragrant or shining sumac
(Rhus aromatica or
copallina)
Britt Slattery, USFWS
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