Invasive Species: Pesky Plants by Mark Boshnack

Invasive Bittersweet a Bitter Pill

Some invasive species have a similar looking native counterpart. This can complicate efforts by those seeking to root out the problem, the invasive form. The Asiatic (Oriental) bittersweet, Celastrus orbiculatus, was introduced to this country in the late 1800s as an ornamental plant for erosion control. It has an attractive appearance in the fall, with red berries enclosed by a yellow-orange capsule. The invasive species is native to Eastern Asia, Korea, China and Japan, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In the United States it is most common in New York, coastal Connecticut, and the southern Appalachian Mountains. It is one of those pesky plants that needs to be eliminated from our landscape. The related, American bittersweet, Celastrus scandens, is a native.