Can Burning Bushes Survive Rabbit Bark Damage?

A gardener's 15-year-old burning bushes (Euonymus alatus) suffered extensive rabbit damage over winter—the bark was eaten completely around multiple stems. Conflicting advice ranges from "cut them down, they're dead" to "they'll leaf out fine" to "cut them down and wait for new shoots." The gardener wants to know the true prognosis and whether to wait for spring growth.

Assessing the Damage

The critical factor is whether the bark removal girdles the stem—meaning it's stripped completely around the circumference. Bark contains the phloem, which transports sugars from leaves to roots. When girdling occurs:

• Above the damage: The stem may leaf out initially using stored energy, but will die once reserves are depleted because roots starve.
• Below the damage: Roots survive but cannot receive energy from the top.
• Partial girdling: If even a narrow strip of bark remains intact around the stem, the plant can often recover.

What to Do Now

1. Wait and observe - It's early April. Watch for bud break and leaf emergence over the next few weeks.
2. Scratch test - Gently scratch bark on questionable stems with a fingernail. Green tissue underneath indicates life; brown, dry tissue means that section is dead.
3. Prune strategically - Once you see where live growth emerges, cut back to just above healthy buds or side branches. Remove completely girdled stems at the base.

Long-Term Outlook

Burning bushes are resilient and often resprout vigorously from the base. However, a 15-year-old plant with extensive girdling on major stems may take years to regain its former size. If the plant is mostly girdled, replacement might be more practical than a decade of waiting.

Preventing Future Damage

• Install hardware cloth cylinders (18-24 inches tall) around trunks in fall
• Apply commercial repellents containing putrescent egg solids or capsaicin
• Remove brush piles and tall grass near shrubs that harbor rabbits