Burning Bush damaged or killed???

Question

I have a small to medium burning bush that was planted by the prior owners many years ago. We had over 20 days of 110 degrees plus an ongoing drought. The leaves on the burning bush quickly went from green to burnt. I don’t know if the bush has been killed or not. Should I prune it back or just leave it alone? If it’s not dead, I don’t want to do anything to kill it. The leaves are dry and brittle. I am in Lowry CIty, Missouri – 90 minutes north of Springfield, MO and 90 minutes southeast of Kansas City, MO.

Answer 1

This article will help determine if the bush is still alove or not: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/environmental/how-to-tell-if-a-plant-is-dead-and-how-to-recover-an-almost-dead-plant.htm

Normally, you should wait to hard prune in spring to protect the plant over winter from receiving any damage. If the plant is still alive, you can likely trim back some of the dead growth but I would be sure to leave some for winter and then prune it back by a third prior to its new spring growth. This article will help: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/burning-bush/pruning-burning-bush.htm

You may also want to up its water, if possible, especially if you continue to have these high temps.