Euonymus alatus (Burning Bush)

Native from southern Siberia through eastern Asia to Japan and China, this deciduous shrub forms a dense, rounded crown with many stems. Corky wings run along the branches, while opposite leaves turn brilliant red in autumn. Small, yellow-green spring flowers are followed by capsules that split to reveal orange-red seed coverings. Introduced widely as an ornamental, it is invasive in North Carolina and other eastern and midwestern states in the United States, where it can form dense woodland thickets. All parts can cause poisoning if eaten in large quantities. Photographed in Virginia.