''Euonymus alatus'', known variously as winged spindle, winged euonymus, or burning bush, is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Celastraceae,

native Native may refer to: People * Jus soli, citizenship by right of birth * Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory ** Native Americans (disambiguation) In arts and entert ...

to central and northern China, Japan, and Korea. The common name "burning bush" comes from the bright red fall color. It is a popular

ornamental plant Ornamental plants or garden plants are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars that i ...

in gardens and parks due to its bright pink or orange fruit and attractive fall color. The

cultivar A cultivar is a type of cultivated plant that people have selected for desired traits and when propagated retain those traits. Methods used to propagate cultivars include: division, root and stem cuttings, offsets, grafting, tissue culture, ...

'Compactus' has gained the

Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (Nort ...

Award of Garden Merit The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established annual award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions. History The Award of Garden Merit ...

Description

This

deciduous In the fields of horticulture and Botany, the term ''deciduous'' () means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, aft ...

shrub A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees ...

grows to tall, often wider than tall. As with the related ''

Euonymus phellomanus ''Euonymus phellomanus'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Celastraceae, native to China. It is one of several species within ''Euonymus'' called spindle or spindle tree. A substantial deciduous shrub growing to tall by broad, it pr ...

'', the stems are notable for their four corky ridges or "wings." The word ''alatus'' (or ''alata'', used formerly) is Latin for "winged," in reference to the winged branches. These structures develop from a

cork cambium Cork cambium (pl. cambia or cambiums) is a tissue found in many vascular plants as a part of the epidermis. It is one of the many layers of bark, between the cork and primary phloem. The cork cambium is a lateral meristem and is responsible fo ...

deposited in longitudinal grooves in the twigs' first year, unlike similar wings in other plants. The leaves are long and broad, ovate-elliptic, with an acute apex. The flowers are greenish, borne over a long period in the spring. The fruit is a red

aril An aril (pronounced ), also called an arillus, is a specialized outgrowth from a seed that partly or completely covers the seed. An arillode or false aril is sometimes distinguished: whereas an aril grows from the attachment point of the see ...

enclosed by a four-lobed pink, yellow, or orange capsule All parts of the plant are toxic by ingestion, causing severe discomfort.

Taxonomy

''Euonymus alatus'' is native to northeastern Asia and China. In the United States, it was first introduced in the 1860s. Common names: burning bush, wing burning bush, winged euonymus, and winged spindle-tree.

Distribution and Habitat

Its native distribution extends from northeastern Asia to central China. Besides central and eastern China, ''Euonymus alatus'' also appears in Korea, Japan, and the island of Sakhalin in Russia. In its native areas, it occurs in forests, woodlands, and scrublands from sea level to elevation. ''Euonymus alatus'' is not native to North America. In the United States, it is found in New England, as well as Illinois, extending south to northern Florida and the Gulf Coast. It is currently considered an invasive species in 21 states.

Uses

Generally cultivated for its ornamental qualities, attraction to wildlife, and ability to adapt to urban and suburban environments. The shrub is commonly used in foundation planting, hedges, and along highways and commercial strips. Sales nationally are in the tens of millions of dollars every year. The corky winged stems are utilized in traditional Chinese and Korean medicine. It is used to treat conditions such as cancer, hyperglycemia, and diabetic complications. Chemicals that have been isolated from this plant include flavonoids, terpenoids, steroids, lignans,

cardenolides A cardenolide is a type of steroid. Many plants contain derivatives, collectively known as cardenolides, including many in the form of cardenolide glycosides (cardenolides that contain structural groups derived from sugars). Cardenolide glycoside ...

, phenolic acids, and alkaloids.

Invasive species

This plant is regarded as an

invasive species An invasive species otherwise known as an alien is an introduced organism that becomes overpopulated and harms its new environment. Although most introduced species are neutral or beneficial with respect to other species, invasive species ad ...

of woodlands in eastern North America, and its importation and sale is prohibited in the states of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, Pennsylvania, and Vermont.

Description

Taxonomy

Distribution and Habitat

Uses

Invasive species

References

Further reading