Native Plants
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Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
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Thursday - February 05, 2015
From: Akron, OH
Region: Midwest
Topic: Planting, Vines
Title: Will Bittersweet climb on a streetlight pole?
Answered by: Guy Thompson
QUESTION:
Will Bittersweet climb on a streetlight pole, or does it need to be with a tree?ANSWER:
Celastrus scandens (American bittersweet) climbs by wrapping tendrils around limbs or rough bark of trees in nature. It may climb on a streetlight pole if the pole has a rough surface, e.g., concrete, that it can fasten onto. I would think that it would have trouble on a smooth surface of a metal pole. Check some of the properties of Bittersweet on this web site. Bittersweet plants can be purchased at this site.
From the Image Gallery
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