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Celastrus orbiculatus [ see - LAS - trus , or - bee - kul - AY - tus ] is a repeated climbing and deciduous woody vine belonging to the Celastraceae family , also known as the staff - tree fellowship .

The industrial plant is native to China , Korea , and Japan , but it is so widely launch in North America , where it was introduced as an ornamental industrial plant around 1860 , it is considered an invading species in the eastern parts of the continent .

Seeds of the Invasive Oriental Bittersweet Vine - Celastrus Orbiculatus

You may also hear it called by its rough-cut name including :

Celastrus Orbiculatus Care

Size & Growth

The vines of undemanding and stalwart Celastrus orbiculatus are thin and long .

While they can grow up to 60 ’ feet in length , their maximum diam is only 4 ” inch .

Celastrus orbiculatus is a quickly grow plant form thickets when it grows itself .

But , when there is support , it climbs by twining around it .

The works is often consider an ecological terror because it not only outcompetes and covers other flora in its surroundings but can cause the death of large tree by girdle them .

Flowering and Fragrance

Celastrus orbiculatus grow small , axillary , inconspicuous , dark-green - white flowers from May to early June .

The flowers arise in small clusters ; there are about 3 to 7 flowers in an inflorescence .

Light & Temperature

Celastrus orbiculatus prefer full sun and yield more flower when expose to the sunshine .

However , since it is a hardy flora , it can tolerate fond spook .

Watering and Feeding

Celastrus orbiculatus needs a temperate amount of water for proper growth .

When grown in the house garden , irrigate the plant regularly ; however , be heedful not to overwater .

Soil & Transplanting

Oriental Bittersweet can grow in all character of soil , but it flourish in light sandy and average loamy dirt .

However , since it acquire too fast , it is sometimes recommended to plant it in nutritionally inadequate or skimpy soil as it becomes too grand in the fertile soil .

The plant can allow a wide-cut range of pH ; it easily grows in neutral and acid soils but prefers moist and well - drained soil .

Grooming and Maintenance

Celastrus orbiculatus grows so quickly it often becomes unvoiced to control it .

Cutting , which are used for growth mastery in different plant life , is not alone effective in the case of this vine .

It stimulates further growing and make the vine re - sprout ten folds .

In house garden , the best way to control the vine growth is to cut it back to the ground and now apply an herbicide ( as per the directions on the recording label ) on the cut base .

How to Propagate Chinese Bittersweet

Celastrus orbiculatus is diffuse by seed , wood cuttings , etymon cuttings , and layering .

In raw condition , the seeds are dispersed by birds and animate being attract to the fruit due to their bright scarlet color .

When propagating yourself , collect the seeds when they are mature and store them in ironic grit until February .

While the charge per unit of semen sprouting is gamy , stale stratification for three months ensures an even eminent rate of sprouting .

ensure to take out the fruit flesh from the source while storing as it bottle up sprouting .

When it ’s time to sow , prick the seedling in separate pots and place the muckle in a warm greenhouse , at least throughout the first winter season .

In late leap or early summer , change over the plant to their permanent side .

For propagation through the solution , take 1 ” inch foresightful and ¼ ” in thick cuttings in December and plant them horizontally in quite a little .

The good fourth dimension to take wood cutting is July / August whereas August is the best time to diffuse through layering .

ensure to take half - mature woods and the growth of the current time of year for propagation through wood cut and layering respectively .

Oriental Bittersweet Vine Pest or Diseases

The vines of Celastrus orbiculatus rarely get affected by disease and pest .

In some areas , however , it can get damage by the two - mark treehoppers and the genus Euonymus ordered series .

Climbing Spindleberry Uses

Celastrus orbiculatus is largely grown as an ornamental vine .

While it will plow fences and outdoor structures likepergolas , arbors , and arches , the plant is also grow alongside roads and highway to create interference barriers .

In some parts of the public , the flora is also used for medicinal purposes .