Smith, R.W.
Celastrus scandens L.
American bittersweet
Celastraceae (Bittersweet Family)
A high-climbing or sprawling woody
vine, reaching 30 ft.
Deciduous leaves are
simple, ovate and dark-green; greenish-yellow in fall. Small, greenish flowers are followed by a showy, orange
capsule that splits open to expose a crimson aril. A twining, woody
vine that produces small green flowers and distinctive bicolored fruits. The
fruit is held in drooping clusters.
This
native species is being replaced in the Northeast by the more aggressive Asiatic Bittersweet (
C. orbiculatus) which has escaped from cultivation. It has flowers and showy scarlet
fruit arising from the axils of the leaves.
Image Gallery:
4 photo(s) available
Plant Characteristics
Duration: Perennial Habit: Vine Size Notes: Climber
Leaf: Green
Autumn Foliage: yes
Flower:
Fruit: Red, Orange
Size Class: 12-36 ft.
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: Yellow , Green , Brown
Bloom Time: May , Jun
Distribution
USA: AL , AR , CT , DE , GA , IL , IN , IA , KS , KY , LA , ME , MD , MA , MI , MN , MS , MO , MT , NE , NH , NJ , NY , NC , ND , OH , OK , PA , RI , SC , SD , TN , TX , VT , VA , WV , WI , WY , DC
Canada: MB ,
NB ,
ON ,
QC Native Distribution: Que. to Man. & e. MT, s. to GA & AL mts., TX & WY
Native Habitat: Woodlands; bluffs; stream banks; rocky hillsides; thickets; fence rows; roadsides
USDA Native Status: L48(N), CAN(N) Growing Conditions
Water Use: High
Light Requirement: Sun , Part Shade , Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist , Dry
Soil pH: Circumneutral (pH 6.8-7.2)
CaCO3 Tolerance: Medium
Soil Description: Well-drained soils.
Benefit
Warning: POISONOUS PARTS: All parts, seeds. Low toxicity if eaten. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, loss of conciousness. (Poisonous Plants of N.C.)
Attracts: Birds
Last Update: 2012-12-07
