Corked Burning Bush Bonsai

Yeah, I know, they are still without leaves, and perhaps they are under- appreciated if you don't know much about the Euonymus genus (translated as "good name").

Euonymus Alatus bonsai - broom style

Euonymus is a deciduous shrub from Celastraceae family native to Asia, and the Alatus Species is known also as Burning Bush or Winged Euonymus - as reference to their winged branches with longitudinal cork cambium. The leaves are growing with a dark green color in summer which is changing in autumn in an attractive bright red(burning bush) if is kept in sunny places or faded red if is kept in shady sites.

Burning Bush foliage in autumn - Picture courtesy of  Wikimedia Commons

 

Burning Bush /  Euonymus Alatus brownish-green buds

The classical Euonymus Alatus is a large-sized spreading shrub overused in landscaping, but it became a nice bonsai if you are searching for smaller cultivars, especially "Compacta". Their leaves with serrated margins will start soon to grow from the brownish green buds, covering with a dense canopy their slightly fissured trunk and the corky stems with green and brown areas. I'm still waiting to loom into their canopy of leaves some greenish blooming in spring and red berries in autumn...

Burning bush trunk and corked branches

Euonymus Alatus bonsai in round pot

This bonsai takes well to pruning and wiring and because have a rounded multi-stemmed branching habit, we wired them in an informal and broom styles. They were trained in 1 gallon pots last year (I'm sorry but I did not find their pictures I've taken in last autumn). We trimmed the root ball and transplanted them easily in bonsai pots because they have a lot of finer, feeder roots (if left un-pruned tend to become pot-bound). They are tolerant of many conditions (soils, watering or sun exposure)  and usually have no serious pests problems. Yearly, it is a very decorative plant for almost 9 months - so we must not be upset for their resting winter stage.