Invasive Burning Bush Alternatives

Burning Bush (Euonymus alatus) was previously a staple in suburban landscaping. Its low maintenance and bright, almost neon-red fall color appeals to the masses, but it’s become far too common in the woodlands of the Eastern United States. It was brought into North America from Asia in 1860, widely cultivated, and planted extensively throughout the East and Midwest. It has since escaped into natural areas in over 25 states and is now recognized as invasive in 21 states. It prodigiously reproduces by seed, which birds and animals disperse to nearby woodlands and meadows. Once established, these plants will form a dense thicket capable of outcompeting almost any native plant as it can thrive in full sun to shade.

Burning Bush is a fast-growing, deciduous, multi-stemmed wood shrub that can reach 5-15 feet tall and wide. The leaves are opposite, simple, and football-shaped, generally 1-2” long. They are dark green with finely serrated margins. Fall color is a bright red, or more pinkish in heavy shade. The stems generally will have prominent raised, corky wings. Wings may follow the stem lengthwise or be slightly whorled around the stem. Stems become more heavily winged as they grow older. Burning bush produces a cluster of bright red fruit capsules, typically 4 per cluster. Fruit ripens in fall and persists into winter.

There are many Burning Bush alternatives with lovely ornamental qualities and comparable toughness. Whether you’re looking for something new to plant or are looking to replace yours, here are several recommendations – some of which are great native options!

If you have a burning bush in your landscape, consider removing it and replacing it with a better alternative. If you see invasive species in common areas or on city property, talk to your local homeowners association or city representatives about controlling them and suggesting removing them.

If you see escaped individuals or clusters in our natural areas, you can report them to the Southeastern Wisconsin Invasive Species Consortium (SEWISC). They are working with the Wisconsin DNR to implement early detection and rapid response.

You can report invasive species (dnr.wisconsin.gov) directly on the WI DNR Website.

** WI Native **

Chokeberry options have fantastic traits worthy of replacing Burning Bush. Find notable cultivars with fantastic fall colors, or choose our native Glossy Black Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa var. elata). It’s a medium-sized flowering shrub with a brilliant red fall color and large, shiny dark berries as better food for wildlife. Adaptable to a wide range of soil conditions. If you are looking for a larger-sized shrub to replace your burning bush, consider the ‘Brilliant Red’ Chokeberry; similar to our native species, it has spring flowers, edible summer fruit, and beautiful fall colors.

** WI Native **

American Filbert is a medium-sized Wisconsin native shrub and edible hazelnuts coveted by wildlife. It’s a versatile plant that grows in a wide variety of conditions. It prefers full sun to partial shade. It will grow in full shade; however, the form will be more open. Nut production and growth rate will be reduced in shade. In fall, the green leaves turn a range of vibrant oranges, reds, and purples. This plants toughness, ecological value and beautiful fall color make it an amazing replacement for burning bush.

** WI Native **

An underutilized yet full sun to full shade native shrub. It has an upright, suckering, and spreading habit. Bell-shaped white flowers hang from the stems in May. Inflated Chinese paper lantern-like seed capsules persist through fall and winter. The dark green trifoliate leaves have a variable fall color, from soft yellows to crimson reds. Bladdernut’s fast growth rate, larger stature, adaptability to different light conditions, and fall color make it worth considering when replacing your burning bush.

** WI Native **

This native North American shrub offers visual interest during all four seasons with white flowers in the spring, beautiful red-orange leaves in the fall, and fruit that changes colors as it matures throughout the growing season. Each fruit bundle displays a multitude of colors as each drupe matures from white to pink, red, blue, and then finally to a blue-black that persists throughout. Witherod Viburnum is a great option for replacing burning bush thanks to its multi-season interest and high ecological value.

‘Spice Island™’ was selected by Mike Yanny for its compact habit and late flowering. While other Viburnum carlesii will flower while their leaves are still emerging, Spice Island bears its large, tantalizingly fragrant blooms against its fully developed foliage. In fall, its dark green foliage turns a deep wine red adding interest to any garden location. A truly stunning and aromatic shrub! Fragrant spring flowers, beautiful fall color, and a nice compact size make ‘Spice Island™’ worth considering for a burning bush alternative.

A large, upright shrub that becomes broad and spreading with age. The foliage emerges maroon-red in spring but darkens to a velvety purple as the summer progresses. Smokebush’s name comes from the large, airy, feathery plumes that form after it flowers – resembling smoke. The purple foliage brightens back up again come fall, displaying beautiful shades of reddish-purples. Smokebush provides striking colors, grows large, and gets there quickly, making it an excellent option for replacing burning bush.

A hybrid of our native Bush Honeysuckle (Diervilla lonicera) and a southern U.S. native Bush Honeysuckle (Diervilla sessilifolia). It matures to 3-4 feet tall and wide. It has orange-bronze new growth, bright yellow summer flowers, and near-neon orange-red fall foliage. This is a durable plant that thrives in full sun and full shade, drought-tolerant and deer-resistant, making for an excellent plant to replace Burning Bush.

Lilacs have been a familiar and beloved landscape plant for many years. ‘Miss Kim’ is a dwarf Korean Lilac that will draw folks from far and wide thanks to their flower’s potent aroma. The lavender to icy blue panicle blossoms emerge in May. This lilac can be grown in full sun to partial shade, but it will produce more flowers when grown in full sun. The dark green, mildew-resistant foliage displays beautiful shades of burgundy red in fall.

This compact dogwood features attractive chartreuse leaves that hold their color in the sun and heat of summer. New leaves are tinted with bronze and stems have a rich red hue early in the season. The flowers are small creamy white blooms that are arranged in flat-topped clusters that appear from May to June. In the fall, foliage becomes a kaleidoscope of purple, red, yellow, and orange, with stems turning vibrant red in winter. This cultivar is fruitless.

Bergeson Dogwood is a compact nativar of the Redosier Dogwood, noted for its beautiful red stems in winter that contrast nicely against the snow. Small white flowers appear in late spring, followed by whitish-blue fruits that ripen in late summer, which birds covet. Disease-resistant foliage transitions from bright green throughout the season to purple in the fall. Dogwoods are tough, beautiful, and ecologically valuable – a worthy replacement to your burning bush.

This semi-compact Forsythia has an arching growth habit and gorgeous yellow blossoms that appear very early in spring. The flower buds are reliably cold-hardy in southern Wisconsin and boast a consistent deep maroon fall color, further adding to this plant’s interest. This is an excellent choice for urban areas, as long as it has room to spread to show off its fountain-like beauty.

A unique, colorful suckering shrub that reaches 4-6 feet tall and wide. It was introduced by Handy Nursery in Oregon, originating as a sport of F. major ‘Mount Airy.’ What sets this cultivar apart are the leaves, which emerge green in spring but quickly mature to a beautiful powder blue. The leaves retain an excellent blue color throughout summer before transitioning to brilliant shades of red, orange, and yellow in fall.