Burning Bush Euonymus alatus is a popular landscape shrub planted for its attractive red Fall color. The red seeds of this plant are eaten by birds in the Fall and carried long distances to forests where they are deposited in their droppings. Once Burning Bush is established in the forest understory it creates a dense stand and out competes native plants that many wildlife depend on for food. One way to help alleviate this problem is to remove and destroy existing plants in the landscape. Another is to not plant any new Burning Bush plants in the landscape. Many nurseries throughout the state have ceased the sale and use of this plant.
The question is what do you plant in place of a Burning Bush? The answer is there are many great options that are ornamental without being invasive. Fothergilla major Large Fothergilla is a shrub that grows 8' tall x 6' wide and produces sphere like fragrant white flowers in the Spring. This plant also has beautiful Fall foliage that turns colors of red, orange and yellow. Cotinus coggygria Smoke Bush is a shrub growing 12' tall x 10' wide and produces showy smoky pink flowers in Summer. Fall foliage is a nice combination of yellow, red and purple. For more shady locations there is Enkianthus campanulatus Red Veined Enkianthus (Zone 5) and Hydrangea quercifolia Oakleaf Hydrangea (Zone 5). Enkianthus grows 10' tall x 6' wide producing light yellow bell shaped flowers with red veins in Spring. Fall color is an attractive bright red. Hydrangea q. grows 6' tall x 4' wide producing large white flowers in Summer but the real quality of this plant is its foliage, which is shaped like an Oak leaf and turns a stunning dark red and orange color in Fall.
For a more natural look there are native Vermont plants to choose from. Aronia arbutifolia 'Brilliantissima' Red Chokeberry is a shrub that grows 8' tall x 4' wide producing white flowers in the Spring. The leaves turn a showy bright red color in Fall. Ilex verticillata Winterberry is also a shrub that grows 12' x 8' that produces bright red berries in the Fall which persist into Winter. Vaccinium corymbosum High Bush Blueberry grows 8' tall x 4' wide producing abundant edible blueberries in the Summer. In the Fall the leaves turn an attractive dark burgundy red.
I have recently signed a voluntary code of conduct (PlantWise) through the VNLA, VIEPC and Nature Conservancy to not buy, sell or incorporate into my designs invasive plants including Burning Bush. To learn more you can visit Greenworks VNLA at http://greenworksvermont.org/ and The Nature Conservancy: http://www.nature.org/vermont/weeds.
