Oriental Bittersweet

Oriental Bittersweet

Oriental or Asian bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus Thunb.) is an attractive but very invasive vine with elliptic to rounded deciduous leaves 2 to 3 inches broad and long, alternating along a woody vine with drooping branches. Clusters of scarlet fruit appear in fall and remain during winter at most leaf axils. The fruits are widely spread by birds. Oriental bittersweet was introduced from Asia in 1736. The showy berries are used as home decorations in winter, and these decorations contribute to spread when discarded. Oriental bittersweet colonizes disturbed forests and along forest edges, spreading into interior forests, forming expanding thickets, and decreasing plant diversity. Oriental bittersweets prolific vine growth allows it to grow around trees and girdle them. It also can completely cover other vegetation and shade, out-compete and kill even large trees. It is invading from the Northeast and is not yet found in Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, or Mississippi. American bittersweet (C. scandens L.) has flowers and fruit only in terminal clusters and does not form extensive infestations.

Oriental bittersweet has also been shown to hybridize with American bittersweet, potentially leading to a loss of genetic identity. For more information and control recommendations please BROKEN-LINK click here.