Celastrus orbiculatus – Oriental bittersweet

It can be found climbing up autumn olive shrubs and confuse people for autumn olive berries.

The plant was brought to the U.S. for ornamental use but has escaped cultivation and chokes out native plants.

Oriental bittersweet is a perennial vine with alternate toothed leaves. In the fall, female vines produce yellow skinned fruits with a red center.

 

Oriental bittersweet could be confused for the native American bittersweet (Celastrus scandens) which has pointier leaves and red skinned fruit that grow in clusters at the end of the vine.

 

The entire oriental bittersweet plant is toxic to consume.

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Written by Amy Demers, founder of the Connecticut Foraging Club. To learn more about foraging in Connecticut, check out our upcoming classes.