What can I plant instead of Burning bush in Delaware?

Natives recorded for Delaware in USDA PLANTS that fill a similar role: Black chokeberry, Winterberry, Arrowwood viburnum, Virginia sweetspire, Strawberry bush, Spicebush. Burning bush status in Delaware: Yes — listed as prohibited.

Is Burning bush illegal in Delaware?

Yes — listed as prohibited. On an official state list that prohibits sale and/or distribution (exact wording below). See the official source on our Delaware answer page. Not legal advice.

Native swaps › Burning bush › Delaware

What to plant instead of Burning bush in Delaware

Sources (17)

All sources (works cited) →

6 plants recorded as native to Delaware in the USDA NRCS PLANTS Database that fill a similar garden role to Burning bush (zones 4–8, full sun to part shade, 15 ft - 20 ft tall).

Burning bush in Delaware: Yes — listed as prohibited. Law, dates and official source →

Native plant	Type	Hardiness	Light	Mature size	Soil texture	pH	Moisture use	Wet-soil tolerance	Drought tolerance	Sources
Black chokeberry Aronia melanocarpa wet-soil tolerant VCE rain-garden list	shrub	zones 3–8	full sun to part shade	3 ft - 10 ft tall	sand, loam	4.4–6.5	—	Medium	Medium	NC State Ext.; USDA PLANTS
Winterberry Ilex verticillata VCE rain-garden list	shrub	zones 3–9	full-shade	3 ft - 15 ft tall	loam, clay	4.5–7.5	High	Low	Low	NC State Ext.; USDA PLANTS
Arrowwood viburnum Viburnum dentatum VCE rain-garden list	shrub	zones 2–8	full sun to part shade	5 ft - 10 ft tall	—	—	—	—	—	NC State Ext.; not in USDA PLANTS characteristics
Virginia sweetspire Itea virginica wet-soil tolerant VCE rain-garden list	shrub	zones 5–9	part shade	4 ft - 8 ft tall	loam, clay	4.0–7.5	High	High	Low	NC State Ext.; USDA PLANTS
Strawberry bush Euonymus americanus	shrub	zones 6–9	full-shade	4 ft - 6 ft tall	sand, loam, clay	5.0–6.0	High	Low	None	NC State Ext.; USDA PLANTS
Spicebush Lindera benzoin wet-soil tolerant VCE rain-garden list	shrub	zones 5–9	part shade	8 ft - 15 ft tall	loam, clay	4.5–6.0	Medium	Medium	Low	NC State Ext.; USDA PLANTS

Soil texture, pH range, moisture use, wet-soil (anaerobic) and drought tolerance: USDA NRCS PLANTS Database characteristics (retrieved 2026-10-14); “sand/loam/clay” = adapted to coarse/medium/fine-textured soils. Rain-garden tag: listed in VCE Rain Garden Plants (Virginia; genus-level entries count).

Your soil, water and flood risk

Soil type: look up your yard in the official USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (texture, drainage class, flooding/ponding frequency).
Flood zone: check the official FEMA Flood Map Service Center.
Soil test: before amending, get a lab soil test through your state Extension (e.g. Virginia Cooperative Extension Gardener Handbook, ch. 2: sample 10+ spots to 6 inches; test every 3–4 years).
Raised beds / amendments: University of Maryland Extension recommends filling raised beds with compost and topsoil at 1:2 or 1:1 (or compost and soilless mix 1:1) and a pH of 6.2–6.8 for most garden plants (UMD: Soil to Fill Raised Beds). Extension guidance warns against adding sand alone to clay; work in organic matter instead.

Rainfall: Delaware averaged 45.9 inches of precipitation per year, 1991–2020 (mean of annual statewide totals, NOAA NCEI Climate at a Glance). See wet yard & rain garden guide.

Nativity: USDA NRCS PLANTS state distribution (retrieved 2026-10-14); "native to the state" does not mean native to every county or habitat. Hardiness, light and size: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox where linked, otherwise our unverified estimate. Check your site, ZIP zone and local nursery stock; ask your county Extension office or state native plant society.

Other states

All states for Burning bush

Checked 2026-10-14. Informational only, not legal or professional advice.