Virginia officials have warned locals to watch out for a colorful plant that's making it harder for birds to migrate successfully. 

The city of Fairfax's Facebook page posted about burning bush, a plant that's pushing out native species in the area. 

In the post, officials stated: "Burning bush, with its beautiful fiery fall color, may be contributing to the decline of native bird populations."

Burning bush, with its beautiful fiery fall color 🔥, may be contributing to the decline of native bird populations....

Posted by City of Fairfax Government on Thursday 20 November 2025

As the post explained, burning bush is also known as winged euonymus (Euonymus alatus). It came to North America from northeastern Asia in the late 1800s. 

The plant was brought over as a decorative shrub and established across the eastern United States and the Midwest, according to Brandywine Conservancy. Now, it's invaded wild ecosystems in over 25 states. 

The dense growth can outcompete most native plants, depleting resources, hoarding space, and disrupting the natural ecosystem. 

Migratory birds rely on native plants for sustenance on their long journeys. Berries from burning bushes don't provide enough nutrients for these long migrations, weakening the bird populations. 

The Fairfax Facebook post recommended that locals replace any burning bush on their property with a native plant. Options include maple-leaf viburnum, possumhaw, red chokeberry, silky dogwood, and highbush blueberry. It's best to research bush species native to your region. 

Native plants strengthen local ecosystems, so consider rewilding your yard to support wildlife. You can help birds, bees, butterflies, and other critters thrive.

Thankfully, you don't usually need harmful chemicals to remove burning bush. Some recommend using herbicides, but you can also manually remove the bushes. 

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For younger plants, pull them out of the ground by their roots. For larger thickets, you can cut down to the roots. Frequent cutting and mowing of the regrowth will eventually suppress the plants, according to Brandywine Conservancy. Planting a native species right away can also help prevent regrowth.

Fairfax residents were grateful for the warning, with many sharing the post and commenting about other invasive species to watch out for. 

One person declared: "Shared! We all need to be sharing this."

Someone else wrote: "Thank you! As a habitat manager, it's important we educate on these issues."

Another commenter said: "I'm trying to remove one now. Lots of work, but worth it!"

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