How to Cut a Burning Bush

Burning bush (Euonymus alatus) got its common name for its fiery-red fall foliage. This attractive plant reaches 12 feet in height and width. It also self-propagates so readily that New Hampshire State forbids residents from planting it to prevent an invasion. If you've got one of these shrubs taking up too much space in your yard, and you don't have the heart to pull it, cut it back to curtail its development. The best technique for your situation depends on how much land is available and the landscape effect you prefer creating.

Shears

Instructions

- 1
  Turn your burning bush into a tree by examining the plant's trunks and selecting a strong leader branch positioned in the center. Cut all others at the base. Alternatively, retain more than one trunk, but remove all lower branches sprouting from them so you have a crown atop the trunks.
- 2
  Prune the entire bush back to 6 inches from the ground to rejuvenate it in shrub form. This takes the plant back to a point where it will be several years before it reaches its mature size again.
- 3
  Cut diseased and broken stems in late winter to early spring. Make your maintenance pruning cuts at a 45-degree angle ¼ inch above a bud.

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