Celastrus

Celastrus is a genus of deciduous climbing woody plants in the family Celastraceae, comprising about 50 species of vines and small shrubs native to temperate and subtropical regions of Asia, Europe, and North America. They are commonly known as bittersweets, named for the bright red arils that accompany the seeds in fruiting capsules.

The best-known species in North America are Celastrus scandens, the American bittersweet, native to eastern North America; and Celastrus orbiculatus, the oriental bittersweet, native to East Asia and widely naturalized and invasive in parts of the United States and Canada. Celastrus paniculatus, the Indian bittersweet, is used in traditional medicine in parts of Asia.

Description: Celastrus species are woody climbers or shrubs with slender, twining stems. Leaves are alternate, simple, and oval to oblong with finely serrate or smooth margins. Flowers are small and inconspicuous. Fruit is a three-lobed capsule that ripens to yellow or orange and splits open to reveal seeds with bright red arils.

Ecology: American bittersweet occurs in forests and edges in eastern North America, while oriental bittersweet has become widespread and invasive in many regions, capable of smothering hosts and displacing native vegetation. Birds disperse the seeds after feeding on the arils.

Uses and management: Valued ornamentally for fall color and fruit, but cultivation is restricted in many areas due to invasiveness. Management includes removal of vines from trees and, when appropriate, herbicide treatment to prevent seed production and resprouting.