Appearance
The defining characteristic of the plant is its vines: they are thin, spindly, and have silver to reddish brown bark. They are generally between 1 and 4 cm in diameter. However, if growth is not disturbed, vines can exceed 10 cm and when cut, will show age rings that can exceed 20 years.When "Celastrus orbiculatus" grows by itself, it forms thickets; when it is near a tree the vines twist themselves around the trunk as high as 40 feet. The encircling vines have been known to strangle the host tree to death or break branches from the excess weight, which is also true of the slower-growing American species, "C. scandens".
The leaves are round and glossy, 2–12 cm long, have toothed margins and grow in alternate patterns along the vines. Small green flowers produce distinctive red seeds which are encased in yellow pods that break open during autumn. All parts of the plant are poisonous.
Habitat
Due to systematic disturbances to eastern forests for wood production and recreation, Oriental bittersweet has naturalized to landscapes, roadsides, and woodlands of eastern North America. In the United States it can be found as far south as Louisiana, as far north as Maine, and as far west as the Rocky Mountains. It prefers mesic woods, where it has been known to eclipse native plants.References:
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