American Bittersweet

Celastrus scandens

Autumn Capsules & Twisting Vines
Bright scarlet arils emerge from split golden capsules while the vine spirals tightly around its host.
The fruits hang in clusters beside the pond’s edge, a site also shared with Virginia Creeper. • Size: 5857 x 3903

Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
Lens: EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM
Settings: ISO 200 • Aperture f/13.0 • Shutter 0.5 s

American Bittersweet in November Light
Orange husks split to reveal bright red arils glowing against bare gray vines.
Clusters of berries hang along twisting stems as the surrounding thicket fades toward winter. • Size: 5077 x 3385

Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
Lens: EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM
Settings: ISO 10000 • Aperture f/6.3 • Shutter 1/160 s

Habitat: Woodland edges, thickets, fence lines, and upland shrub communities across the Upper Midwest
Leaves: Oval, finely toothed, turning yellow before dropping in fall
Stems: Woody, twining vine that climbs by wrapping — not by tendrils
Fruit: Orange capsules that split into three sections, exposing glossy red arils in late autumn
Color: Yellow foliage, orange husks, and red fruit — most vibrant after leaf drop

Description

American Bittersweet is a hardy, native climbing vine known for its striking late-season fruit.
In autumn, its orange capsules peel open to reveal scarlet seeds that persist well into winter, providing important color — and wildlife forage — when the landscape becomes subdued.

It climbs by twining around nearby stems and branches, sometimes forming dense, sculptural tangles.
Unlike the invasive Oriental Bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus), the American species typically bears fruit at the tips of the vines rather than along the entire stem.

A final burst of color as the woods go quiet — the vine’s lanterns glowing through the first cold mornings.

References

• Minnesota Wildflowers — Celastrus scandens
• USDA Field Guide to Native Vines
• Personal field notes, Lakeville, MN (2025)

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