A Bittersweet Controversy
(Via gardenauthor)
Is it American bittersweet (Celastrus scandens) or oriental bittersweet (Celastrusorbiculatus)? Actually, we're looking at American bittersweet in the top two photos, with the berries borne at the tips of the vines. The third photo is oriental bittersweet, which bears berries (as well as blunt thorns) along almost the entire length of the vines.
What controversy? Isn't the oriental bittersweet more fruitful and showier in berry than the American? And the fruits of the oriental species are a brighter red, attracting birds to eat and then scatter the seed. The problem? This non-native, invasive vine, introduced from Asia in the 1860's, strangles (by girdling the trunks) and smothers other plants with its thick foliage - all the while pushing our native American bittersweet toward the brink of distinction. It also produces more seed and has a much greater germination rate. In some areas, Celastrus scandens is coming under protective status, as it has become increasingly rare.
If some sources refer to the native American bittersweet as "false" bittersweet, this leads us to ask about "true" bittersweet. A European introduction, Solanum dulcamara or "bittersweet nightshade," is referred to as "true." It seems that dulcamara is a Latin combination of "bitter" and "sweet." This poisonous member of the deadly nightshade family (Solanum also includes tomato, potato, eggplant, pepper, etc.), was put to medicinal use in the 1800's, along with the somewhat toxic American bittersweet. Birds eat and sow the seeds of "true" bittersweet quite freely.
If you purchase bittersweet, get it from a reputable nursery/garden center and be sure it's Celastrus scandens. If you find some stray oriental bittersweet vines in your own environs, root them out, without mercy. Here's to protecting our native American bittersweet! Just one more note: All that talk, in earlier postings, about the confusion often surrounding common names, resounds in this discussion... highlighting the importance of scientific names.
©Deb Lambert 2007
Top photos... ©2007 S.R. Calef / Third photo... ©2007 S.W. Haddock, Jr
Is it American bittersweet (Celastrus scandens) or oriental bittersweet (Celastrusorbiculatus)? Actually, we're looking at American bittersweet in the top two photos, with the berries borne at the tips of the vines. The third photo is oriental bittersweet, which bears berries (as well as blunt thorns) along almost the entire length of the vines. What controversy? Isn't the oriental bittersweet more fruitful and showier in berry than the American? And the fruits of the oriental species are a brighter red, attracting birds to eat and then scatter the seed. The problem? This non-native, invasive vine, introduced from Asia in the 1860's, strangles (by girdling the trunks) and smothers other plants with its thick foliage - all the while pushing our native American bittersweet toward the brink of distinction. It also produces more seed and has a much greater germination rate. In some areas, Celastrus scandens is coming under protective status, as it has become increasingly rare.
If some sources refer to the native American bittersweet as "false" bittersweet, this leads us to ask about "true" bittersweet. A European introduction, Solanum dulcamara or "bittersweet nightshade," is referred to as "true." It seems that dulcamara is a Latin combination of "bitter" and "sweet." This poisonous member of the deadly nightshade family (Solanum also includes tomato, potato, eggplant, pepper, etc.), was put to medicinal use in the 1800's, along with the somewhat toxic American bittersweet. Birds eat and sow the seeds of "true" bittersweet quite freely.
If you purchase bittersweet, get it from a reputable nursery/garden center and be sure it's Celastrus scandens. If you find some stray oriental bittersweet vines in your own environs, root them out, without mercy. Here's to protecting our native American bittersweet! Just one more note: All that talk, in earlier postings, about the confusion often surrounding common names, resounds in this discussion... highlighting the importance of scientific names.
©Deb Lambert 2007
Top photos... ©2007 S.R. Calef / Third photo... ©2007 S.W. Haddock, Jr
