Winged Burning Bush

Plant: Deciduous, wing-stemmed shrub, to 12 ft (4 m) tall, multi-stemmed and canopy much-branched, broad and leafy; leaves opposite, small and obovate, green and turning bright scarlet to purplish-red in fall; many purple fruit in fall that are spread by birds.

Stem: Four corky wings or ridges appearing along young lime-green squarish twigs, wings becoming wider with age, cork rings and collars ring branch bases, numerous opposite branching, gray cork finally covering larger branches and the plant base, bark becoming smooth light gray.

Leaves: Opposite, obovate and thin, only 1-2 in (2.5-5 cm) long and 0.4-0.8 in (1-2 cm) wide, tips tapering to an acute point, margins finely crenate, dark green with whitish midvein above and light green beneath, smooth and hairless both surfaces, foliage bright scarlet to purplish red in fall, petioles 0.08-1.2 in (1-4 mm) long.

Flowers: Apr-May. Axillary pairs of small flowers at the ends of Y-shaped stems, flower stems to 1 in (2.5 cm) long, flowers inconspicuous, 0.1 in (2-3 mm) wide, greenish-yellow, 5 petals, pistils soon elongating to form fruits.

Fruit and seeds: Aug-Jan. Dangling pairs (or single) of reddish capsules turning purple.