The Urban Pantheist

Oriental Bittersweet Celastrus orbiculatus

Adore it for its beauty and admire its ability to thrive, but don't suffer it to live on your property, not if you are ecology minded at all. Oriental bittersweet, cherished for dried arrangements, especially wreaths, is near the top of the list of unwanted invasive species found in northeastern North America. It starts as a tiny green sprout and grows into vines and tendrils many meters long, climbing other plants or man-made objects. It continues to grow for decades, the vines multiplying and thickening, often overwhelming entire trees and crushing them with its bulk. Many birds eat its attractive fruit, and spread its seeds in their droppings. The organism most at risk from the spread of oriental bittersweet is its close relative American bittersweet Celastrus scandens.

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