Winged Burning Bush (RWMWD Plant Guide)

Winged Burning Bush

Euonymus alatus

Summary ³

Euonymus alatus, known variously as winged spindle, winged euonymus or burning bush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Celastraceae, native to central and northern China, Japan, and Korea.

Description ⁴

Family:
Celastraceae (Staff-tree)

Height:
6 to 12 feet

Habit:
Shrub that can have a single stem or multiple stems, spreading habit

Leaves:
Opposite, oval-shaped up to 3.5 inches long and 1.5 inches wide. Leaf edges have fine serration.

Bark:
Grayish brown bark with shallow furrows. Twigs have unique, four-sided “wings”.

Flower:
Small green or yellow 4-petaled flowers (0.25 inches across)

Fruit:
Capsules with 4 lobes, turning from green to red at maturity. Capsule splits when ripe, revealing 1-4 red or orange fruits (arils).

Bloom time:
May-June

Fall color:
Red

Nicknames:
Winged Euonymus, Winged Spindle Tree

Habitat:
Woods, thickets, disturbed areas

Notes:
Winged burning bush is a non-native (native to Asia) shrub that was once a common landscaping species. Similar to buckthorn, it is a prolific seeder that has spread far beyond where it was cultivated, producing dense thickets that outcompete native vegetation. This invasive shrub should be eradicated to limit further spread.

References:
https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/shrub/winged-burning-bush
https://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/trees/plants/ro_dogwood.htm

Range ⁴

Sources and Credits

(c) Claire O'Neill, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Claire O'Neill
Adapted by Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euonymus_alatus
(c) Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)

More Info

iNat Map

Listing	invasive
Habit	Shrub
Origin	introduced
Life cycle	perennial
Family	Celastraceae
Bloom time	(5) May, (6) June
*sites	Lake Phalen, Snail Lake

‹ › ×