November 14, 2025

An exquisite colorway for this time of year. Oriental Bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus) is an aggressive invasive non-native, originating in China, Japan, and Korea.

A surprising characteristic is this plant’s roots which are bright orange. Another surprise, it can cause a rash like Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) since, like Poison Ivy, Oriental Bittersweet contains urushiol. Also, all parts of the plant are poisonous to humans.

The red-orange berries emerge from a yellow casing, creating a lovely warm look. If you feel compelled to bring in some of these vines for autumn decorations be very careful to dispose of the vines and berries in a place where they will not have an opportunity to regrow! This Bittersweet grows as a vine that destroys other plants, and uproots trees due to its weight.

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