| Euonymus alatus | |
|---|---|
| Burning Bush (Euonymus alatus) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Celastrales |
| Family: | Celastraceae |
| Genus: | Euonymus |
| Species: | E. alatus |
| Binomial name | |
| Euonymus alatus (Thunb.) Siebold |
|
Euonymus alatus, known variously as Winged Spindle, Winged Euonymus or Burning Bush, is a deciduous shrub native to eastern Asia, in central and northern China, Japan, and Korea. The shrub grows to 2.5 m tall (8.2 feet), often wider than tall. The stems are notable for their four corky ridges or "wings." The word alatus (or alata, used formerly) is Latin for winged, in reference to the winged branches. These unique structures develop from a cork cambium deposited in longitudinal grooves in the twigs' first year, unlike similar wings in other plants.[1] The leaves are 2-7 cm long and 1-4 cm broad, ovate-elliptic, with an acute apex. The flowers are greenish, borne over a long period in the spring. The fruit is a red aril enclosed by a four-lobed pink, yellow or orange capsule.
The common name "burning bush" comes from the bright red fall color.
It is a popular ornamental plant in gardens and parks due to its bright pink or orange fruit and attractive fall color. This plant is an invasive species of woodlands in eastern North America,[2] and its importation and sale is prohibited in the states of Massachusetts[3] and New Hampshire.[4]