Sitting quietly behind the bus stop at the visitor entrance to Paxton House is an unassuming shrub which, for most of the year, you will pass without really noticing.  This month, however – wow! – our Euonymus alatus is on fire!

Euonymus alatus hails originally from China and was introduced to Great Britain in the 19^th century. It has deep green foliage and inconspicuous greenish flowers in Spring but its autumn colour has earned it the nickname ‘Burning Bush’. It is an exotic relative of our native spindle tree (Euonymus europaea) and a little later will produce some dark berries which will split to reveal orange cores just as spindle trees do. Meanwhile, don’t miss seeing it this month in all its fiery glory.