Scientific Name: Celastrus scandens
Common Name: American bittersweet
Family Name: Celastraceae
Origin: Canada - central, Canada - eastern, U.S. - central, U.S. - northeast
Hardiness Zone: Zone 3: (-40 to -34 °C)
Plant Type: Vine - deciduous, Vine or climber
Mature Size: 5 - 7m x 3 - 4m (height x width)
Habit: Arching, Twiggy
Form: Climbing
Texture: Medium
Landscape Uses: Attract birds, Fall interest, Mixed shrub border, Woodland margin
Exposure: Full sun, Part sun/part shade
Soil or Media: Alkaline, Well-drained
Leaves: Simple, Alternate, Soft flexible, Pinnate venation, Glabrous, Lustrous, Elliptic, Ovate, Serrate
Flowers: Raceme, Green-yellow, Jun
Fruit: Capsule, (Accessory tissue), Orange, Yellow, Red, Sep-Oct, (Persistent)
Key ID Features:
A sturdy perennial vine; stems twining on structures or other vegetation, yellowish-green to brown; leaves alternate, ovate-elliptic, most 8-10cm long x 4-6cm wide, serrate; berry-like capsules on female plants, orange, 10-14mm wide, split open to reveal 5 or more red seeds.