Invasive plant
Burning bush
Euonymus alatus
Burning bush identification: opposite leaves, corky winged twigs and bright red fall color. It is still sold in some states; check your state list first.
Published Last reviewed
Burning bush is a shade-tolerant shrub with opposite leaves, corky ridges on the twigs and bright red fall color. It is still sold in some states, so the first decision is not how to kill it but whether it is legal to buy, plant or move where you live.
What does burning bush look like?
The twigs are the place to start. Look for two to four raised, tan or brown corky ridges running along the green stem. These “wings” are unusual, and they are the quickest way to separate burning bush from most native shrubs.
The leaves are opposite, elliptical and finely toothed, usually less than 2 inches long. They turn brilliant crimson or purple in fall. In spring, small greenish or yellow flowers open in clusters of three. In fall, red capsules split open to show red-orange berry-like arils.
How to identify burning bush
Check the leaf arrangement first. Burning bush has opposite leaves, meaning two leaves attach at the same point on opposite sides of the stem. Then check the twig for corky wings.
The native look-alikes are other euonymus shrubs: eastern wahoo, running strawberry bush and strawberry bush. They have opposite leaves too, but they lack the corky wings. Young sweetgum can have winged twigs, but its leaves are star-shaped with five lobes. Burning bush leaves are simple and elliptical.
Why burning bush spreads
Birds eat the bright fruit and spread the seed. The shrub also spreads by root suckers and by layering, where a stem touches the ground and roots. It tolerates deep shade, so it can establish under a mature canopy where many other shrubs cannot.
Ohio State University Extension notes that the seed is unpalatable to white-tailed deer, which gives the shrub another advantage in areas with heavy deer pressure. Once a thicket forms, it can crowd out native understory plants.
Is burning bush still sold?
| State | Status | What it means in practice |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | Noxious, Class B | It cannot be sold, transported, planted or propagated. Penn State Extension says it is illegal to purchase, intentionally plant or propagate it. |
| New York | Regulated | It may still be sold and moved, but it may not be introduced into a free-living state. Sellers must label it as harmful to the environment. |
| Ohio | Not on the state invasive or noxious weed lists | Ohio State University Extension says it is not banned from commercial sale and remains widely available, even though the Ohio Invasive Plants Council assesses it as invasive. |
| Wisconsin | Restricted | It cannot be transported, transferred or introduced without a permit. Possession is allowed, and control is encouraged but not required. |
| Virginia | Not on the noxious weed list | The separate DCR invasive plant list is advisory only. |
The table records what the cited agencies said when checked on 2026-11-03. Rules change, so confirm the current status with your state agriculture department before you buy, sell or move a shrub. The Pennsylvania and New York pages have the state contacts.
How to get rid of burning bush
| Your situation | First move | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Seedlings less than 2 feet tall | Pull by hand when the soil is moist. | Remove the whole root system. A broken root can resprout. |
| A few larger stems | Cut close to the soil line and treat the stump. | Water-based products go on the fresh cut immediately; oil-based products can go on later. |
| Many stems, or a dense thicket | Basal bark treatment on standing stems, or cut and treat the regrowth. | Basal bark works when the ground is dry and not frozen. Follow the label. |
| A large patch you want to mow | Mow or brush-hog first, then treat the regrowth. | Mowing alone is not a control method. The shrub will resprout. |
| A site near water | Stop and check the label before buying anything. | Use only an aquatic-labeled product, and do not spray the water itself. |
Penn State Extension names glyphosate and triclopyr for foliar, basal bark and cut-stump work. Ohio State University Extension names glyphosate, triclopyr, 2,4-D plus picloram, and imazapyr for some treatments. This page does not give mixing rates. Product strengths differ, and the label for the product in your hand is the only rate that applies.
Native alternative to burning bush
For fall color and wildlife value, Penn State Extension suggests native viburnums, silky dogwood, gray dogwood, red-stem dogwood and red chokeberry. Ohio State University Extension lists native trees and shrubs for different planting sites, including serviceberry, eastern redbud, flowering dogwood and blackgum.
Choose a species that fits your soil, light and space. A native shrub that struggles will not replace the function of the burning bush you removed.
What to do this week
- Check your state list before you buy, plant or share a burning bush.
- If you already have one, check the twigs for corky wings and confirm the identification.
- If you plan to remove it, decide between pulling small plants and cut-stump or basal bark treatment for larger ones.
- Bag the fruit so birds do not move the seed to a new site.
- Pick a native replacement before you clear the ground, so the site does not sit bare.
For seasonal timing, see when to treat invasive plants and how to get rid of invasive plants without chemicals. More profiles are listed under invasive plants, and image credits are on the image credits page.
Identification
Look for the combination of characters below. A single feature is rarely enough, especially when a native look-alike is present.
- Size and form
- A woody shrub that usually grows 8 to 10 feet tall and can reach 12 to 15 feet. It forms a rounded, layered shape and can spread into dense thickets by root suckers and by stems that root where they touch the ground.
- Leaves
- Opposite, elliptical and finely toothed, usually less than 2 inches long, with very short leaf stalks. The leaves turn brilliant crimson or purple in fall.
- Twigs and wings
- Green to brown twigs often carry two to four raised, corky ridges or "wings," especially on young growth. The wings may run straight along the stem or twist around it.
- Flowers and fruit
- Small greenish or yellow flowers open in early spring in clusters of three. In fall, red capsules split open to show up to four red-orange berry-like arils. Birds eat the fruit and spread the seed.
- Season
- One of the first shrubs to leaf out in spring and one of the last to drop its leaves in fall. That long green season gives it an edge in shade and gives homeowners a longer window to spot it.
Look-alikes
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Native euonymus shrubs
Euonymus americanus, Euonymus atropurpureus and Euonymus obovatus
These native shrubs have opposite leaves like burning bush, but they lack the corky wings on the twigs. Check the twigs before you cut.
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Sweetgum
Liquidambar styraciflua
Young sweetgum can have winged twigs, but its leaves are star-shaped with five lobes. Burning bush leaves are simple, elliptical and finely toothed.
Range and status
Native range: Central China to northeastern Asia
Regulatory status by state
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pennsylvania Noxious weed
Burning bush is a Class B noxious weed on the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture list. It cannot be sold, transported, planted or otherwise propagated in the state. Penn State Extension says it is illegal to purchase, intentionally plant or propagate it in Pennsylvania.
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new-york Regulated
Burning bush is regulated under 6 NYCRR Part 575. It may still be possessed, sold, bought, propagated and transported, but it may not be introduced into a free-living state. Sellers must label it with the warning "Invasive Species - Harmful to the Environment" in at least 14-point type.
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virginia Not on the state noxious-weed list
Burning bush is not on Virginia's noxious weed list in 2VAC5-317-20. The separate DCR invasive plant list is advisory only.
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ohio Not on the state noxious-weed list
Burning bush is not on Ohio's invasive plant list under OAC 901:5-30-01 or its prohibited noxious weed list under OAC 901:5-37-01. Ohio State University Extension says it is not banned from commercial sale in Ohio and remains widely available, even though the Ohio Invasive Plants Council assesses it as invasive.
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wisconsin Restricted
Wisconsin classifies burning bush as Restricted under NR 40. Restricted species cannot be transported, transferred or introduced without a permit; possession is allowed, and control is encouraged but not required.
Why it matters
Burning bush tolerates deep shade and forms dense thickets in forest understories, where it crowds out native plants and reduces habitat. Birds spread its abundant fruit, and the shrub also spreads by root suckers and by layering. It leafs out early and holds leaves late, which gives it a growing-season advantage over many native shrubs.
Management
Check the state rule before you buy or remove
A plant can be legal to sell in one state and banned in the next. Pennsylvania lists burning bush as a noxious weed, New York regulates it, and Wisconsin restricts it. Ohio does not currently ban its sale. Check your state agriculture department before you buy, plant, move or share a shrub.
Pull small seedlings
Hand-pull plants less than 2 feet tall when the soil is moist, and remove the entire root system. If part of the root stays in the soil, the shrub can resprout. Ohio State University Extension says hand-pulling is practical for isolated escapees at this size.
Cut and treat the stump
Cut the stems close to the soil line and treat the stump. A water-based product must go on the freshly cut surface within a few minutes; an oil-based product can be applied later, as long as the stump has not resprouted. Penn State Extension and Ohio State University Extension name glyphosate and triclopyr for cut-stump work. Follow the product label; the label is the law.
Use basal bark on standing stems
Basal bark treatment sprays the lower 12 to 18 inches of the uncut stem with a triclopyr ester product in oil. Ohio State University Extension says late spring to early fall is ideal, but it can be done any time the ground is dry and not frozen. Penn State Extension describes a year-round window when weather permits. Follow the product label; the label is the law.
Foliar treatment for dense low growth
Penn State Extension gives mid-May to the onset of fall color for foliar treatment, and names a glyphosate plus triclopyr mix. Ohio State University Extension gives the same broad window, from full leaf in spring until the leaves begin to turn color. Avoid spraying tall shrubs above the applicator; cut them and treat the stump or regrowth instead.
Do not rely on mowing alone
Mowing or brush-hogging can remove the top growth, but both extension programs say the shrub will resprout. Follow mowing with an herbicide treatment on the regrowth. Monitor the site for at least two years, because treated stems can send up new shoots.
Replant with a native shrub
Penn State Extension suggests native viburnums, shrubby dogwoods such as silky, gray and red-stem dogwood, and red chokeberry for fall color and wildlife value. Ohio State University Extension also lists native trees and shrubs for different planting sites. Choose a species that matches your soil and light.
Sources
Facts on this page were checked against the sources below. Each link shows the date the source was accessed.
- Burning Bush — Penn State Extension Accessed November 3, 2026
- Controlling Non-Native Invasive Plants in Ohio Forests: Winged Burning Bush (Euonymus alatus) — Ohio State University Extension Accessed November 3, 2026
- Euonymus alatus (Thunb.) Siebold (burningbush) — USDA NRCS PLANTS Database Accessed November 3, 2026
- Controlled Plant & Noxious Weeds Lists — Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Accessed November 3, 2026
- Invasive Species Regulations — New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Accessed November 3, 2026
- 2VAC5-317-20. Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 noxious weeds — Virginia Administrative Code Accessed November 3, 2026
- Invasive Plants — Ohio Department of Agriculture Accessed November 3, 2026
- Regulated Species — Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Accessed November 3, 2026
Related pages
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Spring Invasive Plants Checklist: What to Look For in March, April, May and June
Spring invasive plants checklist: what to look for and act on each month from March through June, with links to species and removal guides.