Invasive Fall Color
October 26, 2009
Burning Bush Covers a woodland hillside in North Granby, CT.
Early spring is the time to get a glimpse of Barberries invasiveness, but now, in Autumn, is the time for Burning Bush. Sold for years as for it’s red foliage in the fall, Burning Bush (Euonymous alatus compactus) is used everywhere. It is planted next to bridges on the highway, used a a splash of color in the mixed border, and ironically widely used as a staple of the woodland garden because of its shade tolerance.
- Burning Bush shades out native plant species and reduces the biodiversity of the woodland.
Ironic, because it is here in the woodland, that Burning Bush poses the biggest problem. Thriving wthout the threat of major disease or pests, Burning Bush spreads fast and covers the forest floor, shading out the meager streams of light so needed by the native vegetation. It so thoroughly infests, that it effectively limits the diversity of flora, and in turn the fauna that make a healthy ecosystem.
Next time you think you need a plant with great red fall color, I hope you will turn your back on the Burning Bush for something equally as impressive, but not aggressive. Consider the elegant Enkianthus, or one of my personal favorites, and a great native, High Bush Blueberry. Ooh I can almost taste the blueberry cobler now……
Enjoy the Autumn color!
Scott
October 27, 2009 at 10:38 am
I never realized how invasive these were since we don’t see them here much in California. That’s too bad, they do seem pretty. But you are right about blueberries being a great choice. I would plant that even without the gift of summer fruit it gives us.
October 27, 2009 at 11:57 am
Kat,
Great to hear from other parts of the country, and that it may not be a problem there. Here we struggle with client education and the sales pitch from the nurseries. Thanks for commenting.
Regards,
Scott
October 30, 2009 at 5:54 pm
It’s so crazy to see those photos! I can barely get a Burning Bush to grow here – and when it does, it turns a sad shade of pink – not the brilliant colors you have. Pampas grass, however, is another story…that’s the worst stuff around here! One man’s treasure….huh?
October 31, 2009 at 10:14 am
Rebecca, you’ve hit on why it is so important not to use “invasive” generically. Many of your invasives are not hardy here, so we call them “Temperennials”, and bring them in for the winter. All this makes national dicussion and invasive prevention a difficult topic.
Thanks,
Scott
November 4, 2009 at 1:09 pm
Thanks Scott for helping raise awareness about this plant! It was finally banned for sale in MA a few years ago but I still see new stands of it popping up all over the place from established plantings.
Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica) is another possible alternative to the flaming fall foliage of Burning Bush. It’s native to a little south of this area, but very hardy and also has pretty white flowers in early summer.
November 4, 2009 at 8:22 pm
Ellen, glad to do what I can. I fear we will be stuck with most of our invasives for a long time. Thanks for a great suggestion for Burning Bush substitute, I like Itea, but have not spec’d it much in designs. I will give it more thought from now on.
Regards,
Scott
May 17, 2011 at 8:33 am
[...] The Connecticut Nursery and Landscape Association recently agreed to enact a voluntary phasing out and eventual ban of 25 cultivars of Barberry in the state. You can read more about that here. This is good news, and one can only hope that similar actions will be taken towards other threats, such as Burning Bush (Euonymous alatus), a plant I wrote about in a post entitled ‘Invasive Fall Color’. [...]
November 13, 2011 at 6:17 am
HI Scott,
May i use your photo of burning bush along the highway for my blog? http://www.themeditativegardener.blogspot.com
Thanks.
November 13, 2011 at 6:53 am
Yes absolutely Cheryl! All i ask is that you provide proper credit and a link back to my blog.