Yea, I know. What a sinful thing to say. But I do. Burning bushes in October are beautiful. When our gardens and flowers are on their downward slide to brown, the burning bush ratchets its color up to fiery red. The bush is supposedly easy to grow and virtually maintenance-free. At least that's what my research has led me to believe.
Burning Bush Facts
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| My neighbor's Burning Bush |
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| Another neighbor's Burning Bush |
However, here's my experience with Mr. Euonymus alata "Compactus". Over the years, I have bought and planted 3 different Burning Bushes. The first one died over the winter; not sure why. The second was eaten by rabbits; they girdled the trunk. I wrapped the trunk of the 3rd replacement bush with tin foil to "foil" the rabbits. It seemed to work, but then the deer ate the upper branches down to the tin foil. I was about to dig and dispose of this 3rd bush in the spring when surprisingly it sprouted new branches and leaves almost over-night. I guess it really liked the severe pruning the deer had performed. I let it grow and it really seemed to do well that year. It did not turn red in the fall, however. I figured it was just too young. I caged it and tin-foiled it over the winter, but the deer reached right into the cage and chewed the trunk and branches. It was pretty badly abused by this last spring. I pruned off the worst, and hoped for the best. Again, it did grow and try to recover over the summer, but again the leaves
DID NOT turn red! AGH!
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| My Burning Bush |
Okay, I'll give it one more try. I've caged and mulched it for the winter. If the deer eat it, so be it. If it survives the winter, I think I'll replant it somewhere in the back lawn in the "live or die... you're on your own" zone. And that's why I covet my neighbors' burning bushes.
So sad, but let it grow. There is not much that goes wrong with them. Deer maybe will have a snack. Yours will rival the others someday if it gets full sun.We plant them as hedges and your should see the show up here in the north. Gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteI tried and killed them, so I covet your neighbor's burning bushes as well. I smarts even worse because I ordered them from out of state. Quite spendy.
ReplyDeleteChristine in Alaska, no burning bushes
I love burning bushes too! I have two compact ones, one turning brilliant now, the other in not so much sun so not the colour. Haven't had any problems with pests, but then we have an anti-deer deterrent in the donkey-from-mars. They aren't invasive here, either, which is nice.
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