Euonymus alatus
Common Name(s):
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- This plant is an invasive species in North Carolina
- Description
-
This plant, though a moderately weedy species of shrub, is drought tolerant and provides stunning red fall color.
This shrub has a tendency to spread beyond cultivated garden areas and into native habitats. Its invasive tendency has been noted in multiple eastern and midwestern states. It grows in woodland edges, lands, in forests, in mixed deciduous forests, on roadsides and any accessible areas where it may expand into a dense grove. It is weedy in disturbed areas around houses and buildings. Its growth tendency enables it to out-compete other plants. Its invasiveness has especially been noted in western North Carolina. Winged euonymus has escaped plantings and naturalized in at least 21 eastern and mid-western states. In some areas, it is now considered to be a threat to native plants because of its ability to establish itself in woodlands, forests, fields, roadsides and disturbed areas where, if conditions are favorable, it will out-compete native plants to form dense thickets. Consider less invasive shrubs in the Euonymus genus (closely related shrubs with similar characteristics).
When cultivated, it can withstand severe pruning to a small size and makes an excellent screen, hedge, or shrub border. It can be an upright mound, have horizontal branches, have a flat top, or even have multiple stems. Unpruned, the shrub grows tall, up to 20 feet by as much as 12 feet wide. More compact forms of the shrub ranging from 4 to 10 feet tall are available. See the cultivar list.
This plant needs full sun to partial shade (more shade equals poorer fall color quality). It withstands a range of soil types (except wet, poorly-drained) and needs well-drained soil. This plant appreciates consistent moisture, particularly when grown in full sun locations. In full sun locations, more consistent moisture is needed.
Seasons of Interest:
Leaves: Fall; Bloom: Insignificant; Fruit: Fall
The bright red leaves in the fall are its main attraction.
Seed: Capsule
This shrub, like most, is not edible. Its seeds are good for birds but not humans.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious insect or disease problems. Twig blight may occur, particularly in wet soil conditions. Spider mites may appear on stressed plants.
- Cultivars:
-
-
'Compactus'
- 'Rudy Haag'
A true dwarf cultivar, 3 to 5 ft. high. Slow growth. Similar Euonymus traits. Hard to find. Try add "burning bush" to name..
- 'Rudy Haag'
- Tags:
- Cultivars:
-
-
'Compactus'
- 'Rudy Haag'
A true dwarf cultivar, 3 to 5 ft. high. Slow growth. Similar Euonymus traits. Hard to find. Try add "burning bush" to name..
- 'Rudy Haag'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Euonymus
- Species:
- alatus
- Family:
- Celastraceae
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Japan, China, Korea, Russia
- Wildlife Value:
- Fruit attracts birds who eat the seeds and distribute them. The fall berries are eaten by birds, and the seeds are easily spread by birds. It is attractive to deer. This plant is frequently damaged by deer.
- Play Value:
- Wildlife Enhancement
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Range of soil types; drought tolerant
- Dimensions:
- Height: 15 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 8 ft. 0 in. - 12 ft. 0 in.
-
-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Poisonous
- Shrub
- Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Dense
- Erect
- Horizontal
- Mounding
- Multi-stemmed
- Multi-trunked
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
-
-
Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Piedmont
- Usda Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
-
-
Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Cream/Tan
- Gold/Yellow
- Orange
- Pink
- Red/Burgundy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Berry
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Small red fleshy fruit ripens in fall within a red capsule. This plant has 0.5-0.3 in. red, pink, ivory to yellow capsule splitting to show orange-red seeds in the fall that are attractive to birds. The fall berries are eaten by birds, and the seeds are easily spread by birds.
-
-
Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Green
- Red/Burgundy
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Insignificant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- This plant has non-showy, small 4-petaled greenish-maroon flowers.
-
-
Leaves:
- Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Obovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Crenate
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- This plant has elliptic to obovate, crenulate to serrulate opposite to sub-opposite, simple leaves that are 1-3 in. long and medium to dark green. They can be finely serrated with corky winged branches. Leaves provide excellent red fall color.
-
-
Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Stems have corky "wings" and seed capsules on them hence the common name.
-
-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Naturalized Area
- Woodland
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Hedge
- Screen/Privacy
- Specimen
- Attracts:
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought
- Problems:
- Invasive Species
- Poisonous
- Problem for Children
- Weedy
-
-
Poison:
- Poison Severity:
- Low
- Poison Symptoms:
- Poisonous through ingestion. Poisonous symptoms: abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, convulsions, weakness, chills, and coma. TOXIC ONLY IF LARGE QUANTITIES EATEN. Ingesting large amounts of any part of the plant can result in poisoning. CHILDREN may be attracted to fruits in fall. No part of this plant is edible, including seeds: All parts are poisonous.
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- Unidentified, possibly a glycoside
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- No
- Poison Part:
- Bark
- Flowers
- Fruits
- Leaves
- Roots
- Sap/Juice
- Seeds
- Stems
- Plants that fill a similar niche:
-
Linnaea x grandiflora 'Edward Goucher'
-
Berberis thunbergii var. atropurpurea
-
Berberis thunbergii
