Burning Bush vs Grouseberry - TreeTime.ca

Burning Bush vs Grouseberry

Vaccinium scoparium

Euonymus alatus

CUSTOM GROW

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2025)

Grouseberry
Burning Bush

Grouseberry is a native, low-growing deciduous shrub known for its edible red berries. In early summer, it produces small, urn-shaped flowers ranging from white to pink that attract bees and other pollinators. The berries provide an important food source for many types of wildlife, including game birds such as grouse, which gives the plant its common name. People can also enjoy the berries fresh or in baked goods, though they can be difficult to harvest in large quantities.

Spreading by rhizomes, Grouseberry forms dense, broom-like mats that help stabilize soil and prevent erosion, while also providing cover for ground-nesting wildlife. It is commonly found beneath conifers in open forests, subalpine meadows, and occasionally on rocky slopes in mountainous regions. It is well-suited for naturalization, ecological restoration, and soil stabilization projects.

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.

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

Grouseberry Quick Facts

Burning Bush Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 4a
Height: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Height: 5 m (15 ft)
Spread: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Spread: 3 m (10 ft)
Light: shade, partial shade
Light: any
Moisture: normal
Moisture: normal
Growth rate: slow
Growth rate: slow
Life span: medium
Life span: long
Growth form: low growing, colony-forming
Spreading: rhizomes - medium
Suckering: medium
Maintenance: medium


Fall colour: reddish
Fall colour: fiery red
Flowers: small pink, bell-shaped
Flowers: yellow-green
Bloom time: spring
Berries: small, bright red, edible
Berries: reddish purple
Flavor: tart
Harvest: summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC
Other Names: dwarf red whortleberry, grouse whortleberry, little-leaved huckleberry, red alpine blueberry, small-leaved huckleberry
Other Names: winged burning bush, winged euonymus, winged spindle