Blue Ridge PRISM Recommendations
- Now is the time to identify and control this invasive vine since it is easy to spot during this time of year. Use our guide to identify Asiatic bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus) in the landscape.
- Identify and control small infestations before they get too large and harder to control.
Act now (when it is easy to spot) to identify and control this invasive species on your property!
Learn more:
USDA National Invasive Species Information Center
Code of Virginia: Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 noxious weeds
Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas
APPEARANCE
Identifying Asiatic bittersweet is easier during this time of year due to its leaf color and highly visible fruit.
Leaf
Asiatic bittersweet has alternate, finely-toothed leaves that vary from rounded to elliptical in shape. The leaves range from two to five inches long and are a glossy green. They turn yellow in the fall.
Image: Rounded leaf, Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Asiatic bittersweet will still have some yellow or green leaves present well into the autumn. It retains its leaves late into the season when most other deciduous trees and vines have shed theirs.
Image: Yellowing foliage in autumn, Chris Evans, University of Illinois, Bugwood.org
Fruit
Look for showy fruits in the fall (and into the winter). The round yellow capsules are situated in clusters along the stem. As fall deepens, the capsules split open and reveal bright red arils which contain the seeds
. 
Image: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
In December, you will see the bright red fruits on the vines.
Image: Chris Evans, University of Illinois, Bugwood.org
Bark/Stems & Roots
Bittersweet’s bark is light or medium brown, with white pith. There is often a distinctive pattern of irregular netting on the trunk, almost like snakeskin. Vines may climb up to 60 feet high in trees.
Image: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Small branches have tan or gray bark marked with small, whitish gray bumps (lenticels).
Image: Lenticels on bittersweet branch, James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org
Roots are a bright orange.
Learn more: Blue Ridge PRISM Bittersweet Fact Sheet
Know the Difference
American bittersweet (Celastrus scandens) is a Virginia native vine and looks similar to Asiatic bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus). American bittersweet has red arils encased in orange capsules. Asiatic bittersweet has red arils encased in bright yellow capsules. The native bittersweet arils are larger than the ones on the invasive plant
Image 1: American bittersweet (Celastrus scandens) arils encased in orange capsules, Illinois News Bureau
Image 2: Asiatic bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus) arils encased in yellow capsules, Chris Evans, University of Illinois, Bugwood.org
You can also distinguish between the two by examining the location of the fruits. In American bittersweet, they occur in larger clusters at the tips of the branches. In Asiatic bittersweet, they are more evenly spaced along the stems.
Unfortunately, sightings of American bittersweet in the wild have become very rare.
Learn more: Bittersweet Identification
Image: In Asiatic bittersweet, fruit is distributed along the length of the stems; in American bittersweet, fruits cluster at the tips of the branches, Minnesota Department of Agriculture
CONTROL
One of the best ways to combat invasive species is by identifying small infestations and removing them before they grow larger and harder to control. To ensure long-term control of Asiatic bittersweet, monitor treated sites for several years for seedlings and root regrowth. Treat these as soon as possible.
Manual: Seedlings are easiest to remove when the soil is moist and the population is small. Pull steadily and slowly to minimize soil disturbance and tamp down the soil afterwards; make sure to remove the crown and all large roots. In small infestations, larger plants can also be removed by digging if care is taken to remove all roots.
Do not pull vines from trees; this is hazardous to people on the ground and can damage the trees.
Cut Stump: Cut small to large vines near ground level using a hand pruner, hand-saw, or chainsaw. Immediately apply a concentrated herbicide such as glyphosate to the cut stump to prevent re-sprouting. This can be done from June through February (before sap starts flowing upwards in the early spring).
Notes
- Always follow all herbicide label directions and wear personal protective equipment (PPE) per label instructions. Take care to avoid herbicide contact with native plants. See Virginia Department of Forestry Guidelines for specific herbicide recommendations.
Image: Asiatic bittersweet girdling a tree, Chris Evans, University of Illinois, Bugwood.org
SOURCE: Blue Ridge PRISM