Compacta Burning Bush

Striking scarlet fall colorIf you want that extreme Look at Me! fall color, the well-known Compacta Burning Bush (Euonymus alatus 'Compactus') absolutely glows in the fall garden. Consider this pretty shrub as the rock star of fall color.

Compacta is a shorter Burning Bush cultivar that develops nice, dense foliage all the way to the ground. This shrub is highly regarded for its yearly display of fire-engine red fall color. You'll have no doubt why it's called Bushing Bush.

From spring to summer, you'll enjoy rich, green leaves up to 3 inches long. Next comes the event you've been waiting for. As soon as the nights start to get colder, the flaming display of bright red fall color begins. It lasts and lasts for a wonderful accent to your football watch parties and autumn nights spent around the fire pit.

Once the leaves fall, you'll see corky ridges on the stems of full-sized Burning Bushes. The shrub offers winter interest with its wonderfully textured bare branches. (Alatus is the Latin word for "winged".) Even the pretty branch structure really stands out throughout the winter months!

Hardy throughout USDA growing zones 4 to 8, a mature shrub can reach 6-8 feet in height and 4-6 feet wide. You may see them, but pollinators adore the dainty little yellow flowers in the spring.

Planting and Application:

A popular and versatile deciduous shrub, the Compact Burning Bush is wonderful as a full-sized hedge or screen. Plant them 4 feet apart on center to create a solid screen in very little time. Measure from the center of one to the center of the next.

Use one as a specimen at the corner of your house or garage. It will easily anchor your foundation planting and make a beautiful contrast with evergreen shrubs. Plant a few on the sunny side of taller evergreen conifer trees as well. You'll be dazzled in fall with the counterpoint between the two plants.

Compacta can also hold its own as an ornamental focal point in the landscape - especially in the autumn. They command attention wherever you place it. Why not use a pair flanking on either side of the entrance to an outdoor dining area? Or try 5 of them in a curved hedge around your outdoor fire pit and seating area.

Make sure to use it someplace where you can enjoy its dramatic display. Even a single shrub planted as a specimen in the front yard would stop traffic and boost your home's curb appeal.

You can imagine how impactful this plant would be in a commercial setting. People will know just where your business is, as the Compacta will become a natural landmark feature. Try several plants in a mass planting for greater impact.

This plant takes well to shearing and can be kept at any size to suit your landscape needs. However, if not pruned at all, the shrub develops a natural-looking profile, with horizontal branches sweeping out and down a bit at the tips.

We always recommend allowing plenty of space for your shrubs to develop into their full mature height and spread. You'd hate to have to destroy the pretty outline by severe pruning for size control. Plan ahead for the best results! This is not a shrub suited for extremely tight spaces. Give it room and go big for the most impact.

• Lush Pointed Green Leaves
• Unique Little Dangling Yellow Flowers
• Reddish Berries For Birds
• Fiery Fall Color
• Compact Growth For Hedges, Specimens & Accents

#ProPlantTips for Care:

Choose a planting site in full sun. Even though the Burning Bush 'Compacta' will grow happily in a semi-shady area, it needs at least 6 hours of direct sunlight to develop those amazing red leaves in the fall.

Once it is established in your garden, Compacta shows a remarkable tolerance to drought. However, it will respond best to a moderate amount of water given on a regular basis. In prolonged drought, please provide a deep watering every so often to protect your investment.

Mulch 3 to 4 inches deep and 3 feet outside of the canopy to keep the root system cool and moist. Mulch also allows you to increase the time between supplemental watering. It also looks great and ties the landscape together with a uniform surface!

Compacta Burning Bush will not tolerate any standing water caused by poorly drained soil. Bring in additional soil in a mounded heap 18 inches high for planting, so the roots of your new shrubs have a chance to get established next to mature trees.

Prune this easy-care Compacta Burning Bush once in May, and you are done for the year! One and done, just an annual pruning. What a time-saver! By doing this, you'll easily control the production of seed clusters, which are spread by birds. Use this plant wisely and do your part.

The reason for pruning after flowering is that in some areas of the country, this plant performs too well. In some areas, the plant has been regulated to stop its spread. Nature Hills will block sales into those areas, using Plant Sentry™ an online tool for safe plant shipments. We pride ourselves on complying with all Federal and State agricultural regulations.

Type in your zip code to see if you can safely grow it in your area. If you can, be sure to take a few minutes to snip off the tiny yellow flowers in spring to minimize the orange-red seed clusters in the fall, which are spread by birds.

There are no serious disease or pest problems associated with this low-maintenance shrub.

• Full Sun & Partial Shade
• Any Well-Drained Soil & Moderate Moisture
• Prune the Yellow Flowers in Early Spring to Curtail Fall Seeds
• Low Maintenance & Widely Adapted to Colder Climates
• Insect & Disease Resistant

There is truly nothing that holds a candle to the Compacta Burning Bush! If you can grow it in your area, you'll be thrilled to enjoy its fiery fall display each year! Order now at Nature Hills Nursery today!