Comparing American Bittersweet (Celastrus scandens) to Oriental Bittersweet (C. orbiculatus) 9/3/24

We have a lot of Oriental Bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus) in our woods, which is common throughout the eastern half of the United States. It is a non-native invasive weed that threatens our native plant communities. Sharing a similar range in the U.S. is the native American Bitterweet (Celastrus scandens). It is important to know how to differentiate the two if you are trying to control invasive species. We try in this video to show each species side-by-side so that it is clear which is which. Oak Haven is a 60-acre private woodland in Southwestern Ohio near Cincinnati. Jim and Julie Varick both have degrees in Botany and over thirty years of experience in managing natural areas. They enjoy sharing their enthusiasm for the natural world and would like to build relationships with like-minded people to share knowledge and resources. Please leave your comments!