Euonymus occidentalis
Western burning bush, Western Burning Bush
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Family: Celastraceae · Type: Shrub / Tree · Native
Euonymus occidentalis (Western burning bush) is a native California shrub / tree in the Celastraceae family, recognized by Only Euonymus in CA; climbing shrub, purple-brown dotted petals, deeply 3-lobed smooth capsule.
Western burning bush is a California native shrub found in diverse habitats, characterized by slender branches that often climb and grow 2 to 6 meters tall. Flowering from spring to early summer, this plant produces small purple-brown flowers with transparent margins, each approximately 4 to 6.5 millimeters long. Growing with thin, flexible stems that can ascend or sprawl, it develops distinctive ovate to obovate leaves 3 to 14 centimeters long with truncate or tapered bases. Its leaves have delicate petioles 3 to 15 millimeters long and appear thin and flexible. The fruit is a unique depressed, deeply three-lobed structure that contains brown seeds with bright red arils, giving the plant an interesting visual character.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Only Euonymus in CA; climbing shrub, purple-brown dotted petals, deeply 3-lobed smooth capsule
Habitat and range
California counties: San Mateo, Siskiyou, Mendocino, Sonoma, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Humboldt, Riverside, San Diego, Trinity, Butte, Alameda, Del Norte, Marin
How to tell it apart
vs Buxus: Euonymus has showy dark red-brown flowers, while Buxus has tiny inconspicuous greenish-yellow flowers.; vs Ligustrum: Euonymus flowers are dark reddish-brown in small clusters from leaf joints; Ligustrum has white flowers in showy terminal pyramids.; vs Coprosma: Euonymus has opposite leaves and colorful flowers; Coprosma has tiny flowers and produces bright berries.; vs Cornus: Euonymus has 5-petaled dark brown flowers; Cornus has 4-petaled white or yellow flowers (or showy white bracts).; vs Arbutus: Euonymus has opposite leaves; Arbutus has alternate leaves and distinctive peeling reddish bark.
Frequently asked questions
Is Euonymus occidentalis native to California?
Yes. Euonymus occidentalis is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Euonymus occidentalis grow?
Euonymus occidentalis occurs in San Mateo, Siskiyou, Mendocino, Sonoma, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Humboldt, Riverside and other counties.
What plant family does Euonymus occidentalis belong to?
Euonymus occidentalis is in the Celastraceae family, genus Euonymus.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.