EUONYMUS ALATUS - BURNING BUSH BONSAI - 10 SEED PACK - NEW IN SOUTH AFRICA

Euonymus commonly known as spindle or spindle tree is a genus of flowering plants in the staff vine family, Celastraceae. It comprises about 130 species of deciduous and evergreen shrubs and small trees. They are mostly native to East Asia, extending to the Himalayas, and they are also distributed in Europe, Australasia, North America, and Madagascar. 50 species are endemic to China. The flowers occur in small groups, inconspicuous and of green or yellow shades. The leaves are opposite (rarely alternate) and simple ovoid, typically 2–15 cm long, and usually with a finely serrated margin. The fruit is a pink-red four- or five-valved pod-like berry, which splits open to reveal the fleshy-coated orange seeds. The plants attract birds and the seeds are eaten by frugivorous birds, which digest the fleshy seed coat and disperse the seeds in their droppings. Many species are used for medicinal use.            The wood of some species was traditionally used for the making of spindles for spinning wool; this use is the origin of the English name of the shrubs. Spindles are popular garden shrubs, grown for their foliage, the deciduous species often exhibiting very bright red autumnal colours, and also for the decorative berries. Euonymus alatus known variously as Winged Spindle, Winged Euonymus or Burning Bush is native to central and northern China, Japan, and Korea. In open soil this deciduous shrub grows to 2.5 metres tall, often wider than tall. The stems are notable for their four corky ridges or "wings". The word alatus (or alata, used formerly) is Latin for "winged", in reference to the winged branches. These unique structures develop from a cork cambium deposited in longitudinal grooves in the twigs' first year, unlike similar wings in other plants. The common name "burning bush" comes from the bright red autumn color. It is a popular bonsai subject and ornamental plant in pots, gardens and parks due to its bright pink or orange fruit and attractive autumn color.