Illinois Exotic Species:
winged wahoo or burning bush Euonymus alata

Winged wahoo is a deciduous shrub characterized by alternate, simple leaves. New growth on this plant is characterized by four corky wings. The flowers of this shrub are small and yellow-green, and the fruits are relatively small and nearly purple. Flowers are produced from June through July. These fruits are readily eaten by birds, which disperse the seeds. This shrub, which is commonly planted as an ornamental due to its bright red autumn foliage, is native to northeast Asia. Winged wahoo is capable of growing in full sunlight or shade, and some woodlands in Illinois have thousands of individuals per acre in the understory. Winged wahoo grows in scattered locations throughout Illinois.

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