Fauna
Plant

Winged Euonymus

Euonymus alatus

Also known as Burning Bush, Winged Spindle, Winged Spindle-Tree

Winged euonymus transforms forest understories and garden borders into brilliant crimson landscapes each autumn. Corky, wing-like ridges stretch along four sides of its square twigs, providing clear visual identification even after the bright red foliage drops. Birds readily consume the small reddish arils, unknowingly dispersing seeds into natural areas where dense thickets shade out native vegetation.

InvasiveDeciduousFall Color
Winged Euonymus reference1 / 7
(c) Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Douglas Goldman · cc-by-sa
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Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyAutotrophic (Photosynthesis)
Predators
  • White-Tailed Deer
  • Euonymus Scale
  • Two-Spotted Spider Mite
ThreatsHabitat removal, targeted invasive species management, mechanical clearing
HabitatsDeciduous forests, woodland margins, pastures, disturbed urban soils
Life span30–50 years
Classification
  1. OrderCelastrales
  2. FamilyCelastraceae
  3. GenusEuonymus
  4. SpeciesEuonymus alatus
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskHigh
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is high
All plant parts are toxic if ingested, and wild berries have dangerous look-alikes; never eat.
Why it is dangerous
Cardenolides and alkaloids throughout the plant cause severe vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and potential heart rhythm disturbances.
How to recognize a risky encounter
Recognize by four prominent papery wings running down young stems and brilliant scarlet leaves in fall.
What to do
Do not consume any berries or foliage, and keep plant debris out of reach of livestock and pets.
Responsible observation
  • Stem Cues: Examine twigs for prominent corky ridges to verify identification in winter.
  • Removal Methods: Pull small seedlings by hand early in spring before roots anchor deeply.
  • Eco Alternatives: Replace garden specimens with native highbush cranberry to protect wild forests.
Related species
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