susidee34's Full Review: Dwarf Burning Bush Two Gallon
One of the highlights of the Dwarf Burning Bush [Euonymus alatus ‘Compactus’] is its’ fiery red fall color, giving it the burning bush name. Although this is the main reason people want this plant, it offers a year-round garden addition to any property.
Characteristics: ~Zone 4-9 ~full sun to dappled shade ~slow growing to 6’ x 10’ ~great hedge plant ~adapts to most soils and conditions ~deer don’t like it - bonus!
If I planted one of these shrubs, I planted a hundred. For one thing, when going with the dwarf or compact variety, they are usually planted in bunches for the fall color impact. If using the standard Euonymus alatus, which grows sizeable, around 20’ in height with equal spread, one is generally enough for color impact. However, it can’t be beat for an outstanding shrub even though it is deciduous.
Spring and summer finds it covered with small, elliptical shaped leaves. It has a rather insignificant flower, small and yellow, that appears in the spring. The leaf and branching is very dense and with proper pruning can be kept in a nicely shaped hedgerow. In the fall, after the wonderful red leaf display [this generally occurs after the first light frost], the leaves seem to drop overnight all at once, much like a Ginko tree. Then you are left with the unusual bark on the branches.
The bark, if you look at a branch from the end, stands out in ridges and looks almost corky. It is a dark, mottled, brown and the ridges appear almost like wings down the shaft of the branch. This is another adaptation of its name, Winged Euonymus, taken from the shape of the bark.
Once established it is generally carefree. Pruning, if you desire, should be done in the early spring and later in the summer. As with most deciduous plants, pruning helps strengthen the shrub and encourages new growth to the base plant. A mild fertilizer can be given in the spring, I suggest a 10-10-10 formula. It is fairly slow growing but highly dependable.
As I mentioned, deer shy away from this plant. I don’t know if the leaves have an unpleasant taste or the bark irritates them, but I don’t care. Any plant that can survive deer and still give a nice show is A+ in my book.
Unlike other Euonymus, this plant doesn’t seem susceptible to scale or pretty much anything else. It is insect, disease, drought, and heat resistant, so it is decidedly a great plant to have. However, I have read where some areas are starting to ban planting because it has become to invasive. If you find the plant at your local nursery, then you don’t have to worry because they wouldn’t be selling them if they couldn’t be planted in your area.
I’ve used these plants quite a bit to create a property division because of their dense growth pattern and they aren’t as lethal to clean around as the Barberry is because they have no thorns. However, the bark, as it ages, can become sharp so use a bit of caution when cleaning the area around the shrubs.
As I stated, this can be grown in dappled shade but don’t expect the vibrant color if you do. At best, you will get a pleasant dark pink, which is still some color, but not as showy as a full sun planting. Overall it is worth any effort it needs because you can’t beat that red glow in the fall.
Shipped as a potted 2 gallon plant in its original soil and container. Sensational accent or hedge desired for the intense scarlet red fall coloring. ...More at Amazon Marketplace
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