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National Invasive Species Information Center
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Home / Terrestrial Invasives / Terrestrial Plants / Oriental Bittersweet

Oriental Bittersweet

View all resources
Oriental bittersweet - Invasive.org
Oriental bittersweet foliage - Photo by Chris Evans; University of Illinois
Scientific Name: 
Celastrus orbiculatus Thunb. (ITIS)
Common Name: 
Oriental bittersweet, Asiatic bittersweet, round-leaved bittersweet, Oriental staff vine, climbing spindle berry
Native To: 
Eastern Asia (Fryer 2011)
Date of U.S. Introduction: 
1860s (Fryer 2011)
Means of Introduction: 
Introduced as an ornamental and for erosion control (Fryer 2011)
Impact: 
Grows as a vine that smothers plants and uproots trees due to its weight (Fryer 2011)
Current U.S. Distribution: 
Northeastern and Midwestern U.S.

Distribution / Maps / Survey Status

Early Detection & Distribution Mapping System (EDDMapS) - Oriental Bittersweet
University of Georgia. Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health.
Provides state, county, point and GIS data. Maps can be downloaded and shared.

Images

Google Images - Oriental Bittersweet
Google.
Invasive.org - Oriental Bittersweet
University of Georgia. Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health.

Videos

YouTube - Defeating a Killer Vine: Oriental Bittersweet Management

Google. YouTube; University of Minnesota Extension.

Selected Resources

The section below contains highly relevant resources for this species, organized by source. Or, to display all related content view all resources for Oriental Bittersweet.

Council or Task Force
Invasive Plants of Ohio: Fact Sheet 9 - Japanese Honeysuckle & Asian Bittersweet (PDF | 214 KB)
Ohio Invasive Plants Council.
See also: Invasive Plants of Ohio for worst invasive plant species identified in Ohio's natural areas
Southeast Exotic Pest Plant Council Invasive Plant Manual - Oriental Bittersweet
Southeast Exotic Pest Plant Council.
Partnership
Global Invasive Species Database - Celastrus orbiculatus (vine, climber)
IUCN. Species Survival Commission. Invasive Species Specialist Group.
Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States - Oriental bittersweet
University of Georgia. Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health.
Invasive Species Compendium - Celastrus orbiculatus
CAB International.
Woody Invasive Species - Oriental Bittersweet

Woody Invasives of the Great Lakes Collaborative.

Federal Government
Fire Effects Information System (FEIS) - Celastrus orbiculatus
USDA. FS. Rocky Mountain Research Station. Fire Sciences Laboratory.
PLANTS Database - Oriental Bittersweet
USDA. NRCS. National Plant Data Center.
U.S. National Plant Germplasm System - Celastrus orbiculatus

USDA. ARS. National Genetic Resources Program. GRIN-Global.

State and Local Government
Fact Sheet: Oriental Bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus) (2014) (PDF | 227 KB)
New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets, and Food. Division of Plant Industry.
See also: New Hampshire's Prohibited Invasive Plant Fact Sheets for additional invasive trees, shrubs, vines, and herbaceous plants
Forest Pests: Invasive Plants and Insects of Maryland - Oriental Bittersweet (Aug 2012) (PDF | 242 KB)

Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Forest Service.

See also: Invasive Plants and Insects Fact Sheets for additional species to help control invasive species in Maryland
Invasive Species Best Control Practices - Oriental Bittersweet (2012) (PDF | 321 KB)
Michigan Department of Natural Resource; Michigan State University Extension. Michigan Natural Features Inventory.
See also: Best Control Practice Guides for more guides
Invasive Species Leaflet - Celastrus orbiculatus (Oriental Bittersweet) (2010) (PDF | 215 KB)
North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Forest Service.
See also: Forest Health Publications for more Invasive Species Leaflets
Invasive Plant Species Fact Sheet: Oriental Bittersweet (2006) (PDF | 695 KB)

Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Invasive Plant Species Assessment Working Group.

See also: Species Assessments and Invasive Species for exotic animal and plant pests invading Indiana, causing economic and visual damage

Invasive Plants in Pennsylvania: Oriental Bittersweet (PDF | 690 KB)

Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

See also: Invasive Plant Fact Sheets for plant species (trees, shrubs, vines, herbs and aquatic plants) that have impacted the state's natural lands

Oriental Bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus)

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

Academic
Invasive Plant Fact Sheet - Oriental Bittersweet (Nov 2011) (PDF | 90 KB)
University of Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Flora Project of Morris Arboretum.
See also: Invasive Plant Fact Sheets for additional invasive plants in Pennsylvania
Insects, Pests, and Diseases: Oriental Bittersweet

Pennsylvania State University. Cooperative Extension.

Introduced Species Summary Project - Oriental Bittersweet
Columbia University. Center for Environmental Research and Conservation.
Invasive, Exotic Plants of the Southeast - Oriental Bittersweet
North Carolina State University. Cooperative Extension. Going Native: Urban Landscaping for Wildlife with Native Plants.
Maine Invasive Plants Bulletin: Asiatic Bittersweet
University of Maine. Cooperative Extension.
See also: Maine Invasive Plants & Entire Series for entire series of 22 fact sheets and invasive plants brochure (available in HTML/PDF or for purchase)

Citations

  • Fryer, J.L. 2011. Celastrus orbiculatus. In: Fire Effects Information System. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory.
  • Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Celastrus orbiculatus. [Accessed Sep 10, 2014].