PlantFiles: Dwarf Burning Bush, Cork Bush, Winged Euonymus
Euonymus alatus 'Compacta'

This bush has grown well in our area, but I'm not sure it provides enough benefit to live in our front yard. It is grown for its beautiful red fall foliage, but it only seems to last a week or two. Maybe it just seemed that way the past year or two. I'll try to pay better attention to it this year. Maybe it turns bright red right before our first freeze, which then causes the leaves to fall off??

I ordered two of these plants from Michigan Bulb (I know...). They arrived mid October of '09, and were planted right away.

A few leaves popped out on each plant early on, and then they seemed to drop back hard in Winter.

It is now early March in zone 9b/10 (So Central California), and I have noticed that there is very, very little action with regard to bud burst or new growth. Almost none, actually. The buds themselves are very small, and have not yet begun to swell.

Too early for leafing out in this zone???

Dwarf Burning Bush seem to work very well in Z5/Northern Indiana. They are quite tolerant in tough environments. In addition, each winter when snow covers the ground, rabbits take quite a liking to them, and the bounce back through the season nicely.

our burning bushes are doing great. we put them in 10 years ago and kept them well pruned. they are now around 5 feet tall. beautifull in spring summer and fall.

My husband bought two plants at Costco in late May and was very excited. That very night a moose came up to our back door and ate one half of each plant. We removed them from the yard and placed them on our deck. It has been a month and they have recovered nicely. My husband is transplanting them into the yard today. Hopefully the moose will not be back this summer.

My husband and I were fortunate enough to buy our first house with 15 dwarf burning bushes already planted in the front yard . We moved in this past April when the bushes didn't yet have any foliage on them (we are in NH). I'm embarrassed to say that my husband and I (being novice gardeners at best....we are learning more everyday though ;) had no clue what type of bush they were for the first 2 months!! I finally was able to find an old faded tag from one as I was doing some yard work. They are currently ranging from just over 2'-3.5' tall (planted in 2 rows). They are planted a few feet back from the edge of our 2.5 foot tall retaining wall. About 2/3 get a moderate amount of sun while the rest are under the canopy of our huge 3-4' wide maple tree...so only part sun at best. There is a size difference and leaf color difference between the shrubs with more light and less light (the ones in partial shade have a more yellow green leaf tone and are smaller/sparser). I am thinking of transplanting the ones that are the most shaded. I rate these a positive because we have done nothing at all with them all spring or summer and they've done just fine. They have cedar/pine mulch but thats it. We had a very hard (snowy lol!!) winter last year and now a pretty dry summer (hotter than usual) and they are still going strong. I can't wait to see them this fall!!!!!

When is the best time of year to trim the burning bush compacta?

I love this plant and it is doing well except for either a rabbit or squirrel has been digging around the root area and eating the bark of the stems. So far my plant is strong and holding up but it is yet young and has been planted now for a year in my yard. I fear the squirrels, rabbits will eventually kill my plant. Would anyone have any suggestions on what to do to prevent these animals from feeding on the bark and digging to the roots?

This bush can also be grown as a hedge. Foliage is jade-green all summer, then turns crimson red in the fall. Yellow flowers in spring.

My two dwarf burning bushes are about 4 years old and are about the same size as when I got them. Very small/slow growth. They are planted right next to my front door, in full sun and are wonderfully red in the fall.