Know Before You Go: Information and helpful hints for your next visit
The Morton Arboretum Get tickets
Browse Trees and Plants

American bittersweet

Celastrus scandens

Common names:
American bittersweet, Climbing bittersweet

Content Detail

American bittersweet is a climbing vine that twines around its support. Its attractive feature is its autumn fruit, a yellow-orange three-lobed capsule with showy orange-red seeds. For fruit, American bittersweet needs both male and female vines and should be sited in full sun and pruned in early spring. Do not confuse this vine with Oriental bittersweet, Celastrus orbiculatus, an invasive plant. 

  • Family (English) Staff-tree
  • Family (botanic) Celastraceae
  • Tree or plant type Vine
  • Foliage Deciduous (seasonally loses leaves)
  • Native locale Chicago area, Illinois, North America
  • Size range Large plant (more than 24 inches)
  • Light exposure Full sun (6 hrs direct light daily), Partial sun / shade (4-6 hrs light daily)
  • Hardiness zones Zone 3, Zone 4, Zone 5 (Northern Illinois), Zone 6 (City of Chicago), Zone 7, Zone 8
  • Soil preference Alkaline soil, Moist, Sandy soil, well-drained soil
  • Tolerances clay soil, Dry sites, Occasional flooding, Road salt
  • Season of interest early winter, midwinter, early fall, mid fall, late fall
  • Flower color and fragrance Inconspicuous
  • Shape or form Vining
  • Growth rate Fast, Moderate

More Information

Size and Method of Climbing

A twining vine that grows 30 to 40 feet long. Twining vines climb by twisting their stems or leaf stalks around a support. This type of vine grows well on trellises, arbors, wires, or chain-link fences.

Native Geographic Location and Habitat

C-Value: 4.  American bittersweet is found in a wide range of growing conditions. It is native to Illinois and the Chicago region.

Leaf Description

Simple, alternate leaves are 4 inch long ovals with finely toothed margins and elongated leaf tips. (Oriental bittersweet leaves are more rounded.) Fall color is yellow.

Flower Description

Inconspicuous, small flowers are borne in terminal clusters. (Oriental bittersweet flower clusters are borne in the leaf axils.)

Fruit Description:

Fruit is a yellow-orange, three-lobed capsule with showy orange-red seeds, often persistent into winter.  Male and female plants are required to set fruit.

Care Knowledge

Plant Care

Prune in early spring to keep under control and promote fruiting. Both a male and female plant are needed to produce fruit on the female plant. Not to be confused with Oriental bittersweet, Celastrus orbiculatus, an invasive plant. 

Pests, Diseases and Tolerances

American bittersweet is susceptible to powdery mildew, crown gall, and euonymus scale. It is tolerant of black walnut toxicity.

Cultivars

Autumn Revolution™ American bittersweet (Celastrus scandens ‘Bailumn’)

A self-pollinating plant, only one plant is needed to produce fruit.  Fruit are large and abundant.

Photo Gallery (4)

Slider controls

Slider

Slider

1

Donate

Your support is vital to the Arboretum, where the power of trees makes a positive impact on people’s lives.

Make a gift