What shrub is this? This shrub grows wild in the woods (lower NY zone 5) and I never noticed it until this fall when I saw the beautiful bright rose leaves and went to investigate. It has a most unusual bark. The younger stems are green and surrounded by tan fins about 1-1.5 inches long which circle around the stem so that there are 4 fins that alternate working their way up the whole stem. I think you can see them in the picture. The leaves are opposite each other and I don't know what color they were this summer...probably green and it now has clusters of small red berries that were encased in dark red sheaths but again, I don't know what color the flowers were. There are many seedlings starting up underneath so I assume it propagates from seeds easily. The mature bush is about 10 to 15 foot high. I would love to know what this unusual shrub is. Next spring I'll be trying to start some seeds that I've saved and maybe do some transplanting. Can anyone help me?
Hello Lois, This is Euonymus alatus, known as "winged burning bush". Euonymus alatus interpretative sign at UBC Botanical Garden Photos of Euonymus alatus 'Compactus', a compact cultivar of the species, from the gardens at UBC
Thank you Mr. Mosquin. That fits the shrub exactly. That was very quick work and I do appreciate your help very much. Lois
Euonymus Alatus is considered invasive in many parts of New England especially New Hampshire and Connecticut. Here in British Columbia, it just makes a great fall display in a pot on my deck
I was considering planting a hedge of Euonymus Alatus along my driveway, yet when researching this plant, I note that it is considered invasive in certain areas. Would it be considered invasive on Central Vancouver Island?
It's eastern Canada (and US) where Euonymus alatus is considered invasive. It's not listed at all on E-Flora BC, so I would assume that it's not an issue around here.
Thanks for your response, I went to have a look for myself and I do see it on the E-Flora BC database @ https://ibis.geog.ubc.ca/biodiversity/eflora/Invasive_species_list.htm. Since it is listed as invasive in North America and the mode of spread is via birds, I guess there is the potential that it could become a problem in BC, just not at this time?
Possibly the potential with future climate change, but unlikely. It will be BC's cooler coastal, and drier interior, summers that prevent it becoming invasive in the west. Euonymus alatus is native to eastern Asia, with hot, humid summers, same as eastern USA and southeastern Canada, so it is well adapted to the climate there. Global warming will probably make Vancouver Island hotter and drier in summer, rather than hotter and wetter in summer, so I'd think the risk of it becoming invasive will remain low.
Euonymus alatus compactus is one of my favourite autumn shrubs...much admired for the stunning colour. Flowers are tiny and insignificant. Berries also small. Twigs are not winged. I learnt on these forums that the stems of Euonymus alatus compactus are not winged while Euonymus alatus have winged branches.
Interesting point: try chewing a bit of one of those bark wings. I've seen the suggestion that their intense astringency combined with dry powdery nature is a defence against browsing by large mammals.
