Burning Bush vs Bilberry - TreeTime.ca

Burning Bush vs Bilberry

Vaccinium myrtillus

Euonymus alatus

CUSTOM GROW

Bilberry
Burning Bush

Bilberry is a native perennial shrub valued for its small, blue-black berries that ripen in mid to late summer. The berries resemble blueberries but have a richer, more tart, and intense flavor. They have long been used for fresh eating, baking, and preserves, while also providing food for birds and mammals. In spring, its delicate pinkish flowers attract bees and other pollinators.

Growing low to the ground, Bilberry forms spreading colonies that create dense understory cover. This growth habit provides food and shelter for wildlife, and its foliage adds seasonal interest by turning red to purple in autumn. With its adaptability and ecological benefits, Bilberry is well-suited for naturalization, ecological restoration, and pollinator gardens.

Burning Bush is a unique shrub whose leaves turn firey red in the fall. You can plant it in rows to make a hedge or on its own. Burning Bush requires little maintenance and thrives in just about any kind of soil, which makes it a good choice for inexperienced growers. Plant it in full sun to get its best fall color.

Select Cultivar: Dwarf Burning Bush is a smaller variety of Burning Bush. This shrub has a compact form and only reaches 4-5ft tall and 4-5ft wide.

Note: Burning Bush is considered an invasive species in eastern North America. Please plant the right tree in the right place.

Bilberry Quick Facts

Burning Bush Quick Facts

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Zone: 3a
Zone: 4a
Height: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Height: 5 m (15 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Spread: 3 m (10 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: any
Moisture: normal
Moisture: normal
Growth rate: slow
Growth rate: slow
Life span: medium
Life span: long
Growth form: low growing, clump-forming
Spreading: rhizomes - medium, seeds - medium
Suckering: medium

Toxicity: leaves may be unsafe in high doses

Fall colour: fiery red
Flowers: white or pink, bell-shaped
Flowers: yellow-green
Bloom time: summer
Berries: round bluish-purple berries, edible
Berries: reddish purple
Flavor: sweet
Harvest: late summer to early fall
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC
Other Names: common bilberry, dwarf bilberry, low bilberry, myrtille, myrtle blueberry, myrtle whortleberry, whortleberry
Other Names: winged burning bush, winged euonymus, winged spindle