A friend gave me some Bittersweet roots this fall. I have read that this vine is considered a beneficial wildlife food by some and an invasive thug by others. I seriously don't know wether to plant it or not. Anyone with experience?
Bittersweet vines
I got plants a couple of years ago that had about three foot of growth on them at the time. The grew to about 6 foot in the summer of '03 and in '04 they probably became much thicker, but only about 8 ft. in length. I have mine growing on a clothesline pole and they have just started to follow the clotheslines, which was my intent. At this point, they don't appear to be a problem, but I can't tell you what could happen, not having experience with them before. I just want to have bittersweet to gather instead of having to purchase it for arrangements.
Thanks Brugie, Maybe I'll find a spot where they can't take over a tree and give them a chance. I like the idea of having all that raw material for crafts and wild bird food and I guess I can always dig them up if they get unmanageable.
Hi Green:
I would think twice before planting it. It's a horror in my area. Here's a link:
http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact/ceor1.htm
Regards,
Victor
It's a horror in my yard also. Not only do they take over, but even tiny seedlings are very hard to remove. They don't respond to sprays even.
If you want to plant something beneficial to the wildlife, something non-invasive is always better.
I don't see anything invasive about the one I have. I know that if you find one in the wild, you better not tell anyone where it is or they will beat you to the berries. Very rare to even see one in the wild here now. I don't think I've seen one for probably ten or fifteen years. Mine had berries this year, but I believe it was the Cardinals that dined on them so I didn't even get to see them all puckered up on the vine this fall.
Thank you all for the information, especially the link, Victor. I thought it might be a greater threat further South - until I saw the map that shows it growing all the way to Canada. Now - does anyone know what the definitive differences are between the Oriental Bittersweet, Celastrus Orbiculatus, (the thug) and common bittersweet, Celastrus Scandens, (native to America)? I could start mine out in bushel baskets and plant or destroy - if I knew what to look for to identify which I have.
I have seeds of two different kinds I don't know which is which.I don't want to plant the wrong one.One is bigger than the other if that matters.Jody
It was funny but this past week while stuck in a traffic jam down in Scranton Pa,I saw tons of bittersweet vines in the median.All in "Bloom"
I have 2 vines at my house and rarely see anything on them
gunna chop them down I guess
I was picturing heaps of orange and red where I planted it
but all I get is HEAPS......lol
Oriental Bittersweet=BAD
American Bittersweet=GOOD
Nancy
crestedchick-
Maybe you have 2 males or two females.Maybe you should take some cuttings of the one's on the median.LOL.
Brugie-
they can't be to invasive here either.I never see them anywhere.
I'm thinking of winter sowing mine.Get some photos of the differences in them.Take photos and add to the info on Dave's.
Jody
I must have the American Bittersweet. I know mine came from the timber originally, so I guess I'm lucky. I am worried about what my sweet autumn clematis is going to be like next year. It was loaded with seeds for the very first time. Maybe because I was lazy and didn't get it cut back. I may have a yard full of them next spring. Sorry, I got off subject.
Shirley, I had over fifty to come up last year from seeds that had dropped. I gave them to anybody that wanted them and still have a bunch of them. LOL
I bought 2 of these a couple of months ago off ebay. Then I read all the things you guys have been saying. So I wrote to the seller I bought from and they were very indignant saying they didn't sell "junk". They said the Oriental was bad and the American was good. Just like Nancy said.
Nancy you don't happen to work for Plantranch do you? LOL
Jeanette
LOL, Jeanette!
No... I don't work for Plantranch.
I just remember reading that.
Re: invasive plants... I sometimes hear people say "I grow it in a container, so there's no problem".
However, for some plants, that may STILL be a problem. Especially if it's a plant that has seeds that can spread in the wind - or berries that the birds eat. The seed can pass through the bird's system & be deposited someplace else. THERE it can become a problem. So while you may be able to control an invasive plant in your own garden, you may be creating havoc in someone else's.
Nancy
This message was edited Dec 21, 2004 11:44 AM
Yeah, but according to Plantranch this wouldn't even be junk if it were passed on by birds.
Jeanette
I'd say to just buy from a reputable company, like one that specializes in natives, check the Garden Watchdog also to see what others have to say about the company.