Oriental Bittersweet

Scientific name: Celastrus orbiculatus Thunb.

Common names: Oriental bittersweet, Asiatic bittersweet, round-leaved bittersweet, Oriental staff vine, climbing spindle berry

Native To: Eastern Asia

Date of U.S. Introduction: 1860s

Images: Invasive.org and Google

Means of Introduction: Introduced as an ornamental

Impact: Grows as a vine that smothers plants and uproots trees due to its weight

Current U.S. Distribution: Northeastern and Midwestern U.S.

• PLANTS Database Map (see complete PLANTS Profile for county distribution and native status)
• Early Detection & Distribution Mapping System

U.S. States and U.S. National Parks Where Reported Invasive: Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States map

Management Plans: Plants / Oriental Bittersweet

Selected Internet Resources:

• Federal Government
• State Government
• University/Academic
• International
• Organizations

Federal Government

Celastrus orbiculatus Thunb.
Integrated Taxonomic Information System.
Taxonomy

Celastrus orbiculatus Article Citation Search - AGRICOLA Database
USDA. National Agricultural Library.
Research

Celastrus orbiculatus - Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN)
USDA. ARS. National Genetic Resources Program.
Taxonomy; Legal Aspects

Oriental Bittersweet - Invasive Plants of Asian Origin Established in the United States and Their Natural Enemies (2004; PDF | 535 KB)
USDA. Forest Service.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Photographs; Impacts; Habitat; Distribution; Controls

Oriental Bittersweet - Weed of the Week (Jul 14, 2005; PDF | 184 KB)
USDA. FS. Northeastern Area. Forest Health Protection.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Impacts; Habitat; Distribution; Controls

Celastrus orbiculatus - Fire Effects Information System (FEIS)
USDA. FS. Rocky Mountain Research Station. Fire Sciences Laboratory.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Controls; Special Note: References

Oriental Bittersweet - A Field Guide for the Identification of Invasive Plants in Southern Forests
USDA. FS. Southern Research Station.; Bugwood Wiki.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Dispersion

Oriental Bittersweet: A Patient Invader
USDA. FS. Southern Research Station.
Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts

Plant Profile for Celastrus orbiculatus - PLANTS Database
USDA. NRCS. National Plant Data Center.
Taxonomy; Photographs; Distribution; Legal Aspects

Oriental Bittersweet - Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas (2002)
DOI. National Park Service and Fish and Wildlife Service.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Distribution; Controls

American and Oriental Bittersweet Identification (PDF | 757 KB)
DOI. USGS. Great Lakes Science Center.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History

Oriental Bittersweet
Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Invasive Exotic Plant Tutorial for Natural Lands Managers.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Habitat; Special Note: Species Management and Control Information

Oriental Bittersweet - Invasive Alien Plant Species of Virginia (PDF | 49 KB)
Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. Natural Heritage Program and Virginia Native Plant Society.
Identification/Description; Illustrations; Introduction History; Impacts; Habitat; Distribution; Control

Oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus)
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
Identification/Distribution; Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Habitat; Distribution; Control; Special Note: Scientific review and assessment (PDF | 87 KB)

Celastrus orbiculatus (Oriental bittersweet) - Invasive Plant Atlas of New England (IPANE)
University of Connecticut. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Distribution; Dispersion; Controls

Oriental Bittersweet - Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States
University of Georgia. Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Distribution

Oriental Bittersweet
Purdue University. Indiana Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey (CAPS) Program.
Photographs; Impacts; Distribution

Asiatic Bittersweet - Maine Invasive Plants Bulletin no. 2506
University of Maine. Cooperative Extension.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Impacts; Habitat; Distribution; Controls

Oriental Bittersweet - Introduced Species Summary Project
Columbia University. Center for Environmental Research and Conservation.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Illustrations; Introduction History; Impacts; Habitat; Distribution; Controls

Oriental Bittersweet - Going Native: Urban Landscaping for Wildlife with Native Plants
North Carolina State University. North Carolina Cooperative Extension.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Controls

Oriental bittersweet - Invasive Plant Fact Sheets (PDF | 65 KB)
University of Pennsylvania. Morris Arboretum; Delaware River Invasive Plant Partnership.
Identification/Description; Illustrations; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Dispersion; Controls

Climbing spindle berry (Celastrus orbiculatus Thunb.) biology, ecology, and impacts in New Zealand (PDF | 302 KB)
New Zealand Department of Conservation.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Controls

Celastrus orbiculatus (vine, climber) - ISSG Global Invasive Species Database
World Conservation Union. Invasive Species Specialist Group.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Controls

Asiatic Bittersweet - Invasive Plant Fact Sheet (May 2001; PDF | 28 KB)
Connecticut Invasive Plant Working Group.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Controls

Invader of the Month - Oriental Bittersweet (Dec 2003)
Maryland Invasive Species Council.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Controls

Asian Bittersweet - New Invasive Plants of the Midwest Fact Sheet (PDF | 217 KB)
Midwest Invasive Plant Network.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Impacts; Distribution; Controls

Biobullies - Oriental Bittersweet (PDF | 739 KB)
Natural Biodiversity (Pennsylvania).
Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Habitat; Dispersion; Controls

Asiatic Bittersweet - Invasive Plant Fact Sheets
Nature Conservancy Connecticut Chapter.
Identification/Description; Introduction History; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Controls

Oriental Bittersweet
Plant Conservation Alliance. Alien Plant Working Group.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Dispersion; Controls

Oriental Bittersweet - Southeast Exotic Pest Plant Council Invasive Plant Manual
Southeast Exotic Pest Plant Council.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Illustrations; Introduction History; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Controls