Alas, Burning Bush

Fri. Nov. 5, 2021

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Alas, Burning Bush

 I love burning bush.

Red maple and burning bush 2014 – the burning bush died in 2019 after a brutal winter. It was also planted WAY too close to my house and the sidewalk!
Photo taken in 2013…

And I’m so disappointed that it is invasive. But, there it is, the Minnesota Dept. of Agriculture has deemed it a noxious weed due to how it has overtaken as an understory plant in our forests, knocking out our natives.

burning bush forest floor Missouri

It’s “legal status” at the moment is Specially Regulated with a 3 year production phase-out which will then be moved to Restricted beginning January 1, 2023.

Taking over our native understory plants

That means nurseries will not be allowed to sell it within the state of Minnesota. It is ALREADY restricted in Wisconsin.

In late summer this year, I bought a dwarf variety and placed it under the eave of my garage… hmm, now what do I do?

Dwarf Burning Bush planted Sept. 2021

I’m not going to dig it out, although purists would certainly do that. Mine is not going to run rampant and get out of hand leaping to the woods that are at least 12 miles away.

Burning bush 10-31-21 – starting to change color

But, that said, carefully consider whether you want to purchase one before you won’t be able to. Some other options would include Black chokeberry, Serviceberry, Fragrant sumac and Ninebark. All of which have some very lovely cultivars.

Ninebark ‘Amber Jubilee’ 6-10-18
Ninebark ‘Amber Jubilee’ 10-31-21 NOTE: this was a tough year on plants due to drought
Black chokeberry

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