Euonymus alatus, winged euonymus. Should turn screaming red in fall. They can be cut back to almost ground level and started over as more compact shrubs. May be on your state's invasive list as it is not native.

Yes, becoming a rather bad invasive entity here as well. I didn't believe it...or rather, had never seen this plant causing trouble until I stopped at one of our wooded ravines which as it turns out is full of young Euonymous alatus. A real issue.

i see why they are there ..

being invasive.. i would get rid of them ...

but i would make it a multi year project ... starting at one end [or both ends] .. and planting something different ... while leaving the rest... to maintain some semblance of a screen ... and then.. each year.. removing another ...

or just do it all at once.. and be done with it ...

ken

Too bad more nurseries don't offer the splendid native Euonymous atropurea, AKA eastern wahoo. Wa hoo! It's a great shrub!

They've been popping up in my woodland. I've been hand pulling as I see seedlings, but I'm not able to keep up with them. It's definitely a problem, but they're sold by the gazillions and I'm pretty sure it will get worse before it gets better.

Great set of pictures for id purposes.

Thank you so much for your help everyone!! Mystery solved.