Landscape Alternatives

In addition to all the similar native species listed above, the following native plants are suitable substitutes for Burning Bush in the landscape.

Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica) is a shrub with great fall color and showy drooping racemes of white flowers in June. There are cultivars available. Attractive to bees.

Dwarf Witch Alder (Fothergilla gardenii) has showy, fragrant white flowers in spring and very colorful fall foliage. This shrub is uniformly compact at 3 to 4 feet tall. There are cultivars.

Fragrant Sumac (Rhus aromatica) has hairy red fruit in summer and great fall color. The shrub will grow in poor, dry conditions. Cultivar 'Grolow' has compact, uniform growth habit. Attractive to birds.

Prairie Flame Shining or Winged Sumac (Rhus copallinum var. latifolia) features glossy leaves and showy flowers with great fall color. The cultivar 'Morton' is fruitless and has a compact growth habit. It will also grow in poor, dry soil.

Other plants similar to Euonymus alatus (Thunb.) Sieb.:

Euonymus spp.
Liquidambar styraciflua
Ulmus alata
Vaccinium spp.
Viburnum rufidulum