Celastrus Species, Asiatic Bittersweet, Chinese Bittersweet, Oriental Bittersweet

This horrible invasive is strangling native trees and shrubs (that wildlife depend on) all over New England and parts south of here. It'...Read Mores illegal for sale in Connecticut, and I can't imagine anyone being foolish enough to buy it. Being alien, it isn't eaten or controlled by our native insects, on whom our birds and wildlife depend - it's useless in the food chain, just virulent, a killer. The foliage is kind of attractive until you've got it and see what it does to your property and the ecosystem; and then it doesn't look so attractive - and then the fun begins, trying to get rid of it. Some scientists find it can be successfully smothered with pvc plastic left down for a year. Attractive, yeah. PLEASE DO NOT ENCOURAGE THIS HORRIBLE PLANT. It needs no encouragement. Plant natives!

It is a shame to see that this plant is still being sold. The destruction it has caused to the wooded areas in my state is frightening to...Read More me. I am wondering when its eradication will become a public concern. This vine in my terminology is "The Evil Vine". It has climbed 40 - 60 foot trees and strangled the life out of them. It grabs onto anything in its path. It seems no public officials in my area are addressing this invasion. I will be there if and/or when (hopefully SOON!) a plan takes place to control this. We only have a few large old trees, some majestic Beech trees, and I've noticed this vine is surrounding them. I have tried to spread the word to my friends and neighbors but it seems that this problem will have to draw the attention of officials. If you notice these vines with orange roots in your yard or in your neighbors yard destroy it preferably before it bears fruit! The entire root system needs to be removed, otherwise it will just return. DO NOT COMPOST IT! The seeds in the berries are easily spread and are extremely tolerant to temperature and environment. I am at odds as to why this issue hasn't gotten more attention. Unlike the eradication of the purple loose strife (sp?), it has not drawn the national attention it deserves. Please pass the word :O)

Extremely invasive in my area of the northeast. It's not too difficult to keep it out of managed gardens or a regularly mowed lawn but if...Read More it has a foothold in wooded or unmanaged areas it becomes a real battle. I bought my property 8 years ago, and have managed to erradicate about 50% of what was originally here. I manage my 1/2 acre of woods so I can easily access all of it and slowly reduce it's ability to spread. It gets a little easier every year. Hard and consistent work and careful disposal of it's waste are the most important elements.

The American Bittersweet is often confused with the Oriental Bittersweet. The Oriental Bittersweet is INVASIVE. Before removing or planti...Read Moreng Bittersweet please look at this website ( ftp://ftp-fc.sc.egov.usda.gov/CT/invasives/asiatic_bittersweet.pdf ) to help you determine what Bittersweet you are removing or planting. American Bittersweet is native to America and is becoming endangered.

This plant has invaded our property in New Hampshire. We have dug up roots, pulled old bittersweet growth out, cut much growth, unwound ...Read Moreit from around small trees. I believe it is slated to be on the prohibited list of plants for sale in New Hampshire. The roots criss-cross near the surface. Outside of hard labor digging and destroying, is there any way to eliminate this orange rooted plant? Is there perhaps a environment-friendly chemical to destroy it? Thank you for any imput.

Very invasive! In my yard it would creep underground and pop up anywhere, even as much as 40 yards away from any previously known locatio...Read Moren, to climb onto and start strangling other plants. After 3 years in the house, I don't think there were any flowerbeds or shrubs that it DIDN'T ultimately attack. When you pull it out by the roots, bits of it break off so it will regenerate later (only solution is to repeat every time you see a new one). Also, if you just lay the roots on the grass to "bake" they'll send new shoots into the ground and regrow, so after weeding you have to lay it onto asphault or something until it shrivels. On an interesting note, apparently slugs thrived on its bright-orange roots, since all the slugs in my garden were orange, and their color reverted after my ongoing anti-bittersweet campaign...

I have taken up tissue culture of this plant using immature emryos as explants and was very successful in developing a complete regenerat...Read Moreion protocol published in Jan 2003 issue of Journal of Plant Biotechnology and Biochemisrty, published by IARI, Delhi, India


M.Sharada, Plant Tissue Culture Unit,
Regional Research Laboratory,
Jammu, 180 001, India

I am doing Ph.D. on tissue culture and propagation studies of Celastrus paniculatus Willd. I would like to share my experiences about its...Read More seed germination. Interested persons may write to

Gajendra Rao
R R I (Ayurveda), Ashoka Pillar, Madhavan park, Bangalore- 560 011 (India).
If you know its proagation methods please let me know.

Very, very invasive in the northeast and mid-Atlantic states. Birds spread it by seed and it grows from the root. It is very, very hard t...Read Moreo eradicate. It grows rampantly to the point that it covers trees and blocks them from photosynthesizing. The named varieties are said to be not invasive.

very invasive. will kill trees and schrubs if allowed to climb them. strangles trees by setting into the bark 1/4" per year. cutting ba...Read Moreck to the root without using a chemical to eliminate the roots will cause more rampant growth. causing serious problems in woodlands across our nation.

Flowers early summer, fruits autumn. Rounded, scalloped to toothed leaves have pointed tips and turn yellow in autumn. Grrn flowers ar in...Read Moreconspicuous. Yellow fruits split open when ripe to reveal scarlet coated seeds.