American Bittersweet

Celastrus scandens

Found in forests and woodlands; forest edges and thickets; floodplain and bottomland forests. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), South Central edition What its natural habitat tells you

Poisonous if eaten; vigorous vine

Native to Alabama. Not suggested for planting. How scores work Is it native here?

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Height: 20–25 feet
Spread: 2–8 feet
Light: Dappled sunlight, Full sun
Soil moisture: Usually moist

Celastrus scandens — fruit photograph — The Cosmonaut · CC BY-SA 2.5 ca · Original photograph

Poisonous if eaten; vigorous vine. Poisonous plant parts and woody stems that can strangle supports make this a poor default garden swap. Plant caution source

Rare or protected plant. Specialist conservation planting; excluded from routine garden suggestions. Plant caution source

Hidden from default planting suggestions. Wildlife value and native status remain unchanged.

At a glance

Life cycle: Woody perennial
Leaves: Deciduous
Bloom: May to June
Fruiting season: August to September

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Recorded in 7 Alabama counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 3

Named place / source context. Shown: Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, Georgia, a neighboring state.Trail on Little Kennesaw Mountain., Unidentified in HFC record, undated. Public domain. Source record.

Named place / source context. Shown: Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, Georgia and Tennessee; which part is not recorded, a neighboring state.Wooded scene looking out over partially open fields, Richard Schlecht, undated. Public domain. Source record.

Floodplain and bottomland forests

Forests on low ground beside rivers and streams that flood from time to time.

All habitats

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

6CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including AL

Genus host records with ranges including AL · Celastrus

Acharia stimuleaSaddleback Caterpillar Moth
Antepione thisoariaVariable Antepione
Eutrapela clematariaCurved-Tooth Geometer, Purplish Brown Looper
Herpetogramma thestealisZigzag Herpetogramma, Subtle-Feathered Grass Moth
Pleuroprucha insulsariaCommon Tan Wave
Tetracis cachexiataWhite Slant-Line

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

0BeesSoutheastern regional records

0Specialist beesPollen specialists

6BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Celastrus

Bonasa umbellusRuffed Grouse
Catharus guttatusHermit Thrush
Myadestes townsendiTownsend's Solitaire
Sialia sialisEastern Bluebird
Turdus migratoriusAmerican Robin
Vireo olivaceusRed-eyed Vireo

Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Celastraceae
Hardiness: Zones 3a–8b
Soil pH: Alkaline
Flower color: Green, orange or white
Growth rate: Rapid
Growth habit: Forms thickets
Foliage color: Green
Fruit begins: August
Fruit ends: September

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “May to June” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
Flower color · “Green, orange or white” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; USDA PLANTS, Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differ)
Foliage color · “Green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Fruit begins · “August” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
Fruit ends · “September” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
Growth habit · “Forms thickets” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Growth rate · “Rapid” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Hardiness · “Zones 3a–8b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Height · “20–25 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; USDA PLANTS, Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differ)
Leaves · “Deciduous” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Life cycle · “Woody perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Light · “Dappled sunlight (shade through upper canopy all day); Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Tennessee Smart Yards, Virginia DCR Piedmont, Virginia DCR Coastal Plain, Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differ)
Soil · “Moist” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Tennessee Smart Yards, Virginia DCR Piedmont, Virginia DCR Coastal Plain, Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differ)
Soil pH · “Alkaline” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Spread · “2–8 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox

Conservation status

Alabama rank	S1
Global rank	G5
AL status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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Growing cautions

Suckers and forms colonies. USDA PLANTS lists its growth form as thicket forming. USDA PLANTS

For planning only; these do not change the score or Fit.