Celastrus orbiculatus

Oriental bittersweet - This twining woody vine, native to Japan, Korea, and China, entered North America in the mid-1800s and soon spread from Louisiana to Maine. Oriental (or Asiatic) bittersweet can grow to 60 feet, reaching the tops of mature trees, and strangling trees, shrubs, and other vines as it goes. In autumn, the yellow fruits split to reveal bright red seed coverings (arils). Animals disperse the seeds, and humans use the vines to make ornamental wreaths and swags, which quickly sprout on the trash heap. A native bittersweet, Celastrus scandens, may hybridize with the invasive species. Flowers and fruits of American bittersweet occur only at the end of each branch, while Oriental bittersweet’s are located in between the leaf and stem. Cut stems resprout vigorously, making control difficult. [image: (c) New England Wild Flower Society/ John Lynch]

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