Opinions on American bittersweet

[Bowsnbucks]

Good morning men. Just wondering from a diversity standpoint what you guys think of American bittersweet. I believe the berries/seeds are food for birds of various types. Any of you gents that have it on your property - what's your take on it ?? Does it become a problem ?? Or is it a plus, if for no other reason that it feeds birds ??

Interested in all input. Thanks guys.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Nobody has bittersweet growing on your land ?? Or don't know what it is ??

 

[Da U.P. 'eh]

I believe bittersweet is considered an invasive and I would encourage you to be cautious. A friend of mine had some wooded property that his grandfather used for a nursery for a garden center. He grew bittersweet for decorating Christmas wreaths and the like. After many years the bittersweet had overtaken a good part of the woods and was growing 50 or 60 feet in the air in the canopy of the trees. and had spread across a wide area onto neighboring properties, ditchlines, etc. A neighboring nature center, with permission of the property owners, organized staff and volunteers in a large eradication effort. It took a lot of doing but I think they gained control of the situation.

 

[MickT]

All I’ve come across is oriental bittersweet.


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[greyphase]

The worst mistake I've ever made on my land is planting Oriental bittersweet. I planted it after seeing tangles of it on Pa Gamelands and flushing grouse from them. Incredibly invasive, impossible to eradicate. Grows incredibly fast and strangles everything it gets a hold of. Birds must love it because from a few plantings I have it growing everywhere. American bittersweet may not be as bad I don't know but be cautious and be sure it's not Oriental bittersweet.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

After these cautionary posts - I won't be planting any bittersweet !!!! We don't have any now ………… and the birds have been doing fine without it. Thanks gentlemen !!

 

[Tap]

After these cautionary posts - I won't be planting any bittersweet !!!! We don't have any now ………… and the birds have been doing fine without it. Thanks gentlemen !!

I have Bittersweet...not sure if it's American or Oriental, but the stuff is tenacious and smothering. I actively fight it. My deer do really like to browse it, but it soon grows out of their reach and becomes useless to them and a threat to anything it climbs. It also has a growth habit of spiraling around the trunk of what it's climbing. I've seen trees that have a spiral indentation in the bark right where the bittersweet vine grew. I don't know if it can girdle and kill a tree, but it can't be good for the tree. I say kill it.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Thanks, Tap. We don't have any bittersweet at camp. I was wondering if it would be a good thing to plant for diversity - but after you guys posted these negative reviews - none will be planted …...….. unless birds bring it in.

 

[Tap]

Thanks, Tap. We don't have any bittersweet at camp. I was wondering if it would be a good thing to plant for diversity - but after you guys posted these negative reviews - none will be planted …...….. unless birds bring it in.

I know a guy that moved here to SW Pa from the Pocono region. He always comments on the difference of the flora between that area and this area. We have stuff here that he's never seen in that part of the state.
Not saying bittersweet (or 90 other troublesome crap plants) won't show-up in your part of Pa, but you should definitely learn to ID bittersweet (and the 90 others) and nip them in the bud as soon as they appear. Take Mile-A-Minute for example. I wish to God that I knew what the stuff was just a few years ago. It showed up here and I didn't immediately kill it and it made berries. Now it's actually out-competing the bittersweet and deer have no use for MAM at any stage of growth.
Message to all you guys...learn to identify and stay on top of invasive plants! Once they take hold, you'll have a long hard battle on your hands...and some battles can't be won, only slowed or reduced. And if you are in the age frame like me (60), your property will most likely have the invasive until the day your are too old to have the energy to continue the fight. Don't let shi+ take hold!

 

[mnbirddog]

I have tried American bittersweet several times. I have one plant vining on one tree on one property that I've seen, so I knew it could grow in the area. The deer never let it survive a single season. Usually only a month or so. I even planted 3 plants by the house thinking the deer wouldn't bother it so much. They were gone too. I have also seen that oriental bittersweet is invasive, so haven't tried that.