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Celastrus scandens
Also called Staffvine, Waxwork, Climbing Bittersweet, Shrubby Bittersweet
American bittersweet is a vigorous, twining woody vine native to eastern and central North America, grown for its colorful orange fruit. Give it a sturdy support and plenty of room, since it can smother trees and shrubs.
Celastrus scandens, commonly called American bittersweet, is a species of bittersweet that blooms mostly in June and is commonly found on rich, well-drained soils of woodlands.
C. scandens roots were used by Native Americans and pioneers to induce vomiting, to treat venereal disease, and to treat symptoms of tuberculosis. It also sees use as a decorative plant, both in landscaping and seasonal floral arrangements.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Celastrus scandens by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
Pet safety from the ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant lists.
