The burning bush summer appearance is plain compared to its famous fall show. You'll see a dense rounded shrub with dark green oval leaves and finely toothed edges. Small greenish-yellow flowers hide among the foliage. Most people walk right past it without a second look.
I lived next to one for two full summers before I knew what it was. In my experience, it just looks like any other green shrub during the warm months. Nothing about it stands out or catches your eye at all. Then October hit and the whole thing turned blazing red. That's when I got what my neighbor had been bragging about. The gap between its dull summer look and its bright fall color amazes me every year.
The burning bush summer leaves grow in pairs across from each other at every node on the branch. Each leaf runs 1 to 3 inches long with an oval shape and fine teeth along the edge. The foliage grows thick enough to block your view through the plant. Small four-petaled flowers show up in May and June, but you have to look close to find them in all that green.
For solid burning bush identification during summer, skip the leaves and check the stems. Look for 2 to 4 flat corky wings that run along each branch. These cork ridges give the stems a square shape when you cut across them. The Wisconsin DNR calls this the best way to ID the plant in any season. You can confirm what you're looking at in seconds by snapping a small twig.
Leaf Features
- Arrangement: You'll find leaves in pairs at every node, with two leaves growing from the same point on each side of the stem.
- Shape and size: Oval leaves run 1 to 3 inches long with a pointed tip and fine teeth you can see up close along the edges.
- Color: Uniform dark green on top with lighter green below, giving you no hint of the deep scarlet color that shows up in October.
Stem Features
- Corky wings: You'll spot 2 to 4 flat cork ridges running along each branch. This gives the stems a winged look unique to this species.
- Color change: New growth starts green and turns gray-brown on older wood. The corky wing texture stays visible on your plant year-round.
- Quick test: Native Eastern wahoo has smooth round stems with no cork. Check the stems and you'll know which plant you're looking at right away.
Flower and Fruit
- Flowers: Tiny greenish-yellow blooms with four petals appear in May and June. You'll barely spot them among your plant's thick foliage.
- Fruit development: Small capsules form through summer and turn red in early fall. They split open to show you orange-coated seeds inside.
- Seed output: One mature shrub can make thousands of seeds each year. Birds eat them and spread them across your whole area.
Summer gives you the best window to scout for burning bush seedlings in wild areas near your home. The leaves are full and easy to spot. Young plants are still small enough to pull by hand from soft soil. Walk forest edges and fence lines near any planted burning bush. Look for small paired-leaf seedlings with toothed edges. Pull them now while you can. If you wait until fall when the red color gives them away, the roots will be much harder to get out of the ground.
Read the full article: Burning Bush Shrub Care and Facts
