Ordering Burning Bushes

I think burning bush plants are lovely. How can I order one?—Diane Stewart, Bogalusa, Louisiana

Melinda:

These colorful plants, with their watermelon-pink to bright-red fall foliage, certainly steal the show in autumn. And the corky protrusions on the stems provide winter interest. With their hardiness—Zones 4 to 8 and sometimes 9—they've become a landscape favorite.

But they're so adaptable that they've become an invasive plant in many places, including the Gulf Coast. So avoid planting near areas where their offspring can crowd out native plants; you might want to consider instead a native or another less-threatening plant to add to the landscape.

Local garden centers should be able to help you locate burning bush and other landscape plants suitable for your area.