Oriental bittersweet Celastraceae Celastrus orbiculatus Thunb.   symbol: CEOR7
	Leaf: Alternate, simple, ovate to nearly round, 2 to 4 inches long, very often with a blunt tip, finely serrated, somewhat rounded teeth, green above and slightly paler below. Flower: Inconspicuous, pale yellowish-green, appearing from leaf axils in late spring. Fruit: Very attractive, capsules in clusters which when open expose a bright red seed surrounded by orange scales, 1/3 inch across, appear from leaf axils; ripen in the fall and are visible throughout the winter. Twig: Thin, light brown, with small pointy buds at nearly right angles to the stems; no tendrils or aerial roots present. Bark: Silvery gray-brown, initially smooth, later corky with diamond-shaped patterns, much later becomes finely scaly. Form: Climbing vine, with an open, spiraling pattern. Forms dense thickets along fences. Some stems may become several inches in diameter.
	USDA Plants Database Celastrus orbiculatus is planted in the highlighted USDA hardiness zones to the left and may seed into the landscape. See a map of the states in which Oriental bittersweet has escaped (opens a new window).