Category: Burning Bush

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The Deciduous Burning Bush

Winged Spindle (Euonymus alatus) by Wez Smith
Winged Spindle (Euonymus alatus) by Wez Smith

TheGardenLady received this question from Mary.

I just planted a Burning Bush this summer. It did turn a beautiful red but I noticed this morning it looked a little limp. When I returned from work, most of the leaves were on the ground and the bush is almost bare. Is this supposed to happen? If not will it come back next year or did it die?

Burning Bush, Euonymus alatus, is a deciduous shrub.  Deciduous means that a shrub or tree sheds all its leaves in the fall. This happens every year. The leaves will return in the spring.  See here.

Send a photo of your burning bush when it’s a beautiful red.  TheGardenLady would love to show it on her site.

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Burning Bush

Burning Bush, a.k.a. Winged Euonymus (Euonymus alatus) by derAmialtebloede
Burning Bush, a.k.a. Winged Euonymus (Euonymus alatus) by derAmialtebloede

TheGardenLady received this question from Patty:

What can I do to make my burning bush turn red?

The Burning Bush Euonymus is also known as Winged Euonymus or Spindle Tree.

If your burning bush is in enough sun, it will turn color in the fall when the weather is cool enough. Your burning bush should have been planted in soil that has good drainage; it does not like to be in excessively wet sites. For optimal fall foliage it likes full sun. If it is in partial shade it won’t have the brilliant red color. In shade the leaves might be more pinkish. The burning bushes start turning red in late summer to late fall. So if your bush grows in full sun you might still have your red bush. Full sun means that sun shines on your bush for a minimum of 6 hours each day. The Euonymus are just beginning to turn color in my area.