Euonymus sp.
Burning bush, Burning Bush
Family: Celastraceae · Type: Shrub · Variable; species dependent
Euonymus sp. (Burning bush) is a non-native California shrub in the Celastraceae family.
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 sp. native to California?
No. Euonymus sp. is not native to California (recorded as variable; species dependent).
What plant family does Euonymus sp. belong to?
Euonymus sp. is in the Celastraceae family, genus Euonymus.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-04-14
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.