This plant is problematic and alternatives should be considered. Please see the suggestions in the left-hand column. Burning bush or summer cypress is an annual plant native to Europe and Asia in the Amaranthaceae (buckwheat) family. It is found growing in floodplains, riparian areas, praires and disturbed areas especially throughout western North America. Typcially it reaches a height of 2 to 3 feet tall and wide but it can growth to a height and width of 7 to 8 feet. The genus name Bassia comes from Italian botanist (1714-1774) Fernando Bassi, and the species name scoparia is Latin for broom-like referring to the fine textured leaves. Feathery bright green leaves turn red in the fall and it has an attractive upright columnar habit. The leaves are similar to cypress hence the common name. Its flowers are insignificant. The erect stems form almost a candelabra shape and as they age they can break off and form a tumbleweed which spreads seeds around the landscape. It prefers full sun and moist, well-drained high organic matter soil. Very drought and salt tolerant it also resists herbicides. It naturalizes and self-seeds easily especially in zones 8-10 so planting it in a container may manage its spread in the landscape. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious insect or disease problems. This plant is a noxious weed in several states.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
High Organic Matter
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
Less than 12 inches; 12 inches-3 feet
Mature size
Height: 1 ft. 6 in. - 2 ft. 0 in. | Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
High
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Columnar; Erect
Texture
Fine
Leaf color
Green
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Lanceolate; Linear
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Soft
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Light green narrow feathery leaves 2"-3" long 1/4" wide linear or laceolate, sessile (stalkless) with 1-5 prominate veins tapering at the base. Hairless to sparsley hairy especially along the entire margins. Scarlet red fall color.
Fall color
Red/Burgundy
Flower color
Green
Flower form
Insignificant
Flower detail
Inconspicuous stalkless petaless green flowers found in the axils of bracts that resemble laceolate leaves.
Bloom time
Summer
Fruit color
Brown/Copper; Green
Fruit detail
Dry seed, the ovary shell that wraps around the seeds had five membranous wings. Matures from green to brown and forms a membranous wing. Oval black-brown seeds 2 mm long.
Stem color
Green; Red/Burgundy
Stem detail
Finely ribbed red to green erect, hairelss or sparsely hairy
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Europe, Asia
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Container
Garden tags
#upright form #self-seeding #low maintenance #fall color red #naturalized area #fast growing #high maintenance #feathery leaves #weedy