Easily grown from seed offered by GreenDealer Exotic Seeds.

The large red specimen was photographed at a neighbor's house; the others were photographed in my back yard in the Highlands, Louisville, Kentucky, November 1, 1998. Those growing in filtered light take longer to turn red and will not be quite as bright as those growing in full sun. There is a Blueberry bush to the left in the last photo. It turns scarlet red nearly a month before the Euonymus and is growing in the same filtered light.

There are about 6 miles of Burning Bush growing in an elevated island of Interstate 64 at the eastern approach to Louisville, Kentucky. It makes a striking display in autumn. The plants have been set out in two rows and have filled in with sufficient growth to appear as one long connected mound of red foliage for 6 miles.

The Winged Euonymus is a deciduous bush growing to 8 or 9 ft. tall. It has very dense foliage from the ground up, which hides much of its unusual trunk and branches with the characteristic cork-like wing ridges. Lower branches can be pruned to show the trunk which are often several in number. This gives the bush a more tree-like appearance and will allow ferns and other ground cover to grow underneath. It can also be planted in a row and left to grow as a bush for a very dense hedge row. Without pruning it will grow high enough to provide privacy. Winter hardy in Zones 3-9.

The foliage is green turning gradually to a darker green to maroon in early autumn. Then the Euonymus really shows off with its bright scarlet-red fall colors. It turns such a bright red that it commands attention where, during other seasons, it is practically ignored.

There is a more compact dwarf variety, Euonymus compactus, that will grow to 4 or 5 ft. It is very dense and also makes a fine hedge that does not grow quite so tall.

The Strawberry Bush is another variety growing 6 to 7 feet tall with reddish pink warty fruits that resemble strawberries. This variety turns a dark red in autumn. It is not quite as cold-tolerant as the other varieties and is winter hardy in Zones 6-9.

The European Spindle tree is the largest of the Euonymus varieties growing to 20 ft. Its hard wood was used to make spindles for spinning thread and to make butcher's skewers. This variety is too large for use as a hedge but makes a fine ornamental tree when lower branches or pruned back to expose the beautiful ridged trunk and branches. Winter hardy in Zones 3-9.

Euonymus has small greenish white blossoms in late spring and green foliage.

To grow the smaller compact variety as a hedge, plant the bushes about 2 ft apart. The larger varieties should be planted about 3 ft. apart. As hedges they can be left as is to grow naturally, or they may be pruned for a rounded or mound appearance. Plant in full sun or partial shade. Little care is required. Propagation is by seed, cuttings or layering.

© 1998 Michael King