Maybe Laura will see this and clarify. I don't know where her post is you are referring to...so I just might be rambling on about something not applicable. To me "invasive" means it spreads a lot, and very quickly. It reproduces quickly enough, that if not watched, it will take over an area.

I have 5 Dwarf Burning Bushes which are 10 years old this year. Mine are considered slow growers, and are certainly not invasive at all. No seeds or sprouts aside from suckers that show up on the established trunks about now. I simply choose whether the suckers stay or get removed. I've never had any seedlings show up anywhere.

My brother...also in Zone 5 (just south of Rockford) has 1 Burning Bush...all I can tell you is it isn't a dwarf...and it's huge. It grows fast and gets really bushy & too big for him if he doesn't watch it. He doesn't have problems with reseeding either. Previous owner who planted that bush didn't consider the mature size when planted...that's the problem my brother has...so he considers his "invasive".

What I'm trying to say here, is my experience with the dwarf variety, and my brother's "regular" one is they are not invasive from what I've seen.

Also, we have about 15 of those "regular-sized" ones at my office building...I've been there for 11 years...burhing bushes have been there longer, and they are not "invasive" either.

Gayle

Anita,
Definitions of invasiveness, especially here on GW, are pretty varied, and often a contentious issue.

*stepping up on soapbox*

From a conservation & stewardship standpoint, Euonymus species (specifically Euonymus alatus, Burning Bush) is an exotic listed in many states, including Illinois, as an invasive plant. The weed alert I've linked to below says, "While it behaves well in urban areas, E. alatus planted near woodlands, mature second-growth forests, and pastures can be problematic. "

Speaking as a natural resource/conservation "professional", I have seen burning bush escape cultivation to form a heavy understory in wooded natural areas in Illinois and Indiana, outcompeting native species. I've also spent many, many hours on controlling this species in natural areas in both states.

From a gardener's perspective, I recently helped a friend with burning bush in his yard hand pull a bed full of seedlings. His shrub reseeds pretty prolifically.

For myself, even though I live near dowtown in an urban area, with little chance that a Euonymus in my yard would escape to invade a natural area, I choose not to plant this species in my garden. This is a very heavy seeding tree, and well visited by birds who can spread the seed far and wide.

And besides, all of my conservation buddies/coworkers would mock me mercilessly if I did plant it. :)

Just as a disclaimer, I'm not a pure native species gardner, since I have plenty of exotics all through my yard. But, remembering my years trying to control invasives in natural areas definitely encourages me to avoid cultivating them myself.

*stepping off soapbox*

So, in answer to your actual question, burning bush may be invasive in your garden, depending on your conditions and the cultivar that you plant.

Here is a link that might be useful: Burning Bush Invasives Alert

i saw on victory garden over the weekend that native blueberry bushes make a nice alternative to the invasive burning bush. they have the same red color in the fall.

Glad I happend upon this thread. I was searching for info on untimely relocation of burning bushes. I have two that are about 8' tall that need to be removed for an addition to our house. I was going to have them relocated to my other property yet didn't know if there were any special preparation needs to do so this time of year. I appreciate the "invasive" warning yet like others I have yet to observe local reseeding. Oh, would I hate to destroy these bushes. One sustained ice damage about seven years ago which split the main trunk. In desparation screws and duct tape were used after scraping both surfaces of the mating areas. This bush rebounded and is slightly larger (pruning probably) than the other one.

I've had mine now going on 5 years. I never saw seeds, actually never looked for them, but I do get suckers. Here in NYC I just pruned it and its about 5' where I would like it to remain. I have noticed something unusal for it this time of the year, first week of July.The leaves at the top are coming in sort of reddish, almost like when it starts to change color at the beginning of fall. Is this normal or a sign that its lacking some kind of nutrient? I never had fertilize it.

I put in a several hedges of them about fourteen years ago. There are THOUSANDS of seedlings under them now, even though for quite a few years there were none to speak of. I am not exagerating.............thousands of seedlings. I rip and round-up regularly and it is not a shrub I'd ever consider planting again on my property. As badly as I would feel about removing this showy and necessary barrier, I'm considering it. BTW the birds love the fruit and it is gone about the time the berries ripen.......so I'm not kidding myself that they aren't getting redeposited elsewhere.

You may want to keep in mind that plants may be reseeding where you don't see it due to animals, wind etc transporting the seeds.

the best fertilzer for a burning bush would be glyphosphate - a shrub type dose should fix it just fine ;-)

I have a burning bush that is about 5 -7 years old, that has been doing very well since we moved in 2 years ago. I have had them at my old house as well, and never found them to be invasive. However, this year, all of a sudden, at the end of July, the leaves started to turn red, like in the fall, but then they dried up, and the branches died. Now, the whole bush looks like it is drying up. We did give it a good soaking, as the weather has been somewhat dry, but it is near a flower bed, so it has been getting regular water. Has anyone had this problem, and do you know why? I'd appreciate any solutions!

I JUST MOVED INTO MY HOME THIS SPRING, AND THERE WERE 2 4-5 FOOT BURNING BUSHES. THIS FALL, THERE ARE MILLIONS OF SEEDS, IRONICALLY, I HAVE NOT SEEN ONE SEEDLING FROM PREVIOUS YEARS. I AM SURPRISED THAT THIS PLANT IS INVASIVE IN OTHER GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATIONS. I GOT ONTO THIS TREAD TO FIND WHAT THE GERMINATION REQUIREMENTS ARE FOR MY 'MILLIONS' OF SEEDS.
ALSO TO FIND OUT IF THEY REPRODUCE TRUE TO FORM.

MIKE CASSIDY
kcassidy@erols.com

I have had burning bush for about 10 yrs. and this is the first year i am seeing seedlings underneath the bush. What weed eradicator is recommended ??