Gardeners’ Forum: “Dwarf Burning Bush”
Back to Gardeners’ ForumDwarf Burning Bush
Posted by Alex Beaton on Sunday, April 27, 2008 7:54 AM ADTI have 3 Dwarf Burning Bushs and I planted them about 4 years ago. They are approx. 3 to 4 feet high. They do not turn red in the fall. The leaves seem to struggle to stay green, then start turning red but by this time it is so late in the year that the frost just gets to them and the leaves just fall off. Meanwhile, my neighbours around me enjoy bright red leaves for weeks. Why are mine so different?
re: Dwarf Burning Bush
Posted by Susan on Tuesday, May 27, 2008 10:49 AM ADTthe leaves need lots of sunlight to turn red in the fall.
re: Dwarf Burning Bush
Posted by Denis on Tuesday, June 10, 2008 11:24 PM ADTDoes anyone care to guess what is the estimated life span of this plant? Planted a Cardinal Songbird hedge 20+ years ago and it is basically DEAD now, need a replacement! Peace. Denis.
Dwarf Burning Bush
Posted by Wayne on Friday, June 13, 2008 9:13 PM ADTWhen and if can the burning bush be shape or trim whether it is the dwarf type or the big Burning Bush type.
re: Dwarf Burning Bush
Posted by mary sandoval on Sunday, June 22, 2008 8:16 PM ADTWe plantesd three Drawf Burning Bush in Lakewood, CO two are doing fine. The third is not growing at the same rate, leaves are turning brown. What could be the cause?
re: Dwarf Burning Bush
Posted by Maryann Denny on Thursday, September 25, 2008 3:03 PM ADTI planted my bushes about 4 week ago. They don't look the best. The leaves are turning an ashey geen color and some are even turning yellow. I planted them along the foundation of my house about five feet apart. They get full sun all day. I am not sure if I am watering them too much or not enough. Any advise.
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Posted by Denise MacDonald on Monday, October 6, 2008 9:03 PM ADTI have six burning bushes, and are all in full sun. They have turned a dark burgundy colour but not the bright, vibrant red you see elsewhere. Does the vibrant red have anything to do with the acidity of soil? Thanks Denise Halifax NS
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Posted by Ileen on Wednesday, October 29, 2008 10:12 PM ADTI too have had no luck with red leaf colour The bushes are mature and on the west side of our home. What would be a good alternative to this shrub if you do not have a solution for this location. Thanks
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Posted by Martha on Saturday, May 23, 2009 11:52 PM ADTMy dwarf burning bushes were planted last year. They are in full sun. They came back with a lot of leaves, but these are very pale rather than dark green. We have had good rain. What can I do to help my bushes. Thanks. Martha
re: Dwarf Burning Bush
Posted by Tim on Saturday, July 25, 2009 3:01 PM ADTtry watering less in August/Sept. That will help leaves turn red
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Posted by Joan from Halifax on Tuesday, August 18, 2009 10:09 AM ADTWe planted new bush last year early fall. The plant has full sun. This spring it did not grow well at all the majority of the bush is dead but there is new growth at the base but the leaves in some areas are shriveled but do not look dry. I realize we should wait until the fall to prune now but what about the leaves. Wet summer I know until now but is there something we should do?
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Posted by John Kendziorski on Saturday, September 26, 2009 4:45 PM ADTI would like to know if the drawf burnning bush needs food. If so what kind. Does the burnning bush take miracle acid?
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Posted by Iceni on Thursday, October 8, 2009 3:37 AM ADTI thought these bushes were banned in Sakatchewan Canada, yet my local Home depot are selling them.
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Posted by Connie G on Wednesday, October 14, 2009 10:36 AM ADTI own a burning bush. It is in all day sun and the leaves never turn red. They stay green, the frost hits them and they fall off. What am I doing wrong?
re: Dwarf Burning Bush
Posted by Rose Nikoden on Friday, October 16, 2009 10:21 AM ADTI also have a Dwarf Burning Bush that doesn't want to burn. I feel it gets enough sun. I also have a neighbour who has 2 bushes that are planted in the same area my bush is. Theres are burning red. Why is there a difference.
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Posted by PJ F on Tuesday, March 2, 2010 10:25 AM ASTWe had 2 dwarf burning bushes. We've had them for 12 years. The first one died 2 years ago. My last one died recently. They both were very healthy and were beautiful. What is their life span? I am puzzled why they died.
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Posted by Theresa on Thursday, May 27, 2010 10:29 PM ADTMy burning bush failed to sprout leaves this spring and it looks dead. It is the end of May I am still hoping for leaves to appear. Will it? or is it dead? Any idea why it must have died?
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Posted by Nadia on Wednesday, June 9, 2010 12:15 PM ADTI need someone to explain how to properly prume a burning bush. Thanks
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Posted by Marlene Hnckley on Wednesday, September 22, 2010 3:56 AM ADTI have one burning bush. It gets lots of sunshine and warm temp in summer. This is my 2nd season of growing it> It looks nice and healthy. I take wonderful care of it. I'm a gardner. WHY, won't it turn Red , that is why I bought it. What could I doing wrong?? I grow Roses and flowers and other shrubs and they perform beautifuly. I am frustrated.....In redmond, Oregon
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Posted by Sooren on Tuesday, October 19, 2010 7:30 PM ADTAll these questions and no answers? I purchased (in Colorado) a beautiful burning bush in a 5 gallon pot when it was in it's fullest, most beautiful red color. It did not do well in the location I planted it in so 2 years later I dug it up to transplant in a maybe more favorable location. That bush pulled out of the ground as if it was just removed from a pot. There was not a bit of soil in it, just pine bark and roots. I replanted in a sunnier location, with soil added, about 3 years ago. It's finally starting to look healthy but it still does not turn red. What gives with these bushes?
re: Dwarf Burning Bush
Posted by Trudy on Wednesday, October 20, 2010 11:38 AM ADTBurning Bushes can get pests that easily go unoticed. It's always a good idea to give a good close inspection just in case there is something happening that you can't see. Environment can have something to do with lack of colour. Neglect is better than trying to baby the shrub. Some shrubs I've found simply do not perform as well as others. For young shrubs be patient they need a few years to establish. Look at the roots and whether or not there may be heavy compaction, heavy clay soil, or soil high in nitrogen. If you feed your lawn regularly and the shrub is close it may be having side effects due to nutrient levels. Sometimes what is happening is all underground. The roots couls be girdling and growing around themselves but this shouldn't affect leaf colour. This seem to be a question that is not easy to answer. I hope some of my thoughts on the matter help!
re: Dwarf Burning Bush
Posted by Eleanor Ruddiman on Wednesday, October 27, 2010 10:27 PM ADTI have had my burning bush 2 years but it won't red. I fertilize with acidic fertilizer. ruddi2@msn.com
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Posted by Mary on Friday, July 8, 2011 1:07 PM ADTI planted a Dwarf Burning Bush about 2 weeks ago in full sun with temps above 100 degrees and i water it about every other day, but now the leaves are turning brown...what am i doing wrong??
re: Dwarf Burning Bush
Posted by angelina on Wednesday, November 16, 2011 12:05 AM ASTIn Sterns Plant Biology, 12th ed. mentions that fall coloration are a result of breakdown of several group pigments present in a MATURE LEAF. Don't really know how long to define maturity. These pigments are stored in the leaf vacuoles in the leaf cells. The pigment of red (anthocyanins) is red if the cell sap is acidic, blue if alkaline(which would be the yellow in fall, since the green pigment breaks down. To sum it up, the coloration is base on leaf maturity, amount of pigment in the leafs which is brought by soil pH, water/moisture/fertilizer content which was absorb by the plant in the growing season. If its near any garden, high nitrogen fertilizer gives the abundance of green pigments, which does not breakdown easy. When frost hits, and suddenly it drops to the ground, without giving you the "red color" you were expecting. Leave it alone to mature, water when needed, easy on fertilizer (might not need one - but cannot confirm yet). Hope that helps.
re: Dwarf Burning Bush
Posted by helga dendy on Thursday, December 1, 2011 7:39 PM ASTMy dwarf burning bush is planted at the south west side of our house and does not turn bright red as shown on the picture. It is 2 years old and turns reddish in fall. Can I improve the soil to promote a burning red?
