Melinda Myers

American Bittersweet

Botanical Name

Celastrus scandens

Hardiness

Zones 3 to 8

Height

15 to 20 feet

Width

3 to 6 feet

Flowers

May thru June: white, yellow

Fruit

Round orange-yellow

Light

Full sun to part shade

Soil

Tolerates most soil types except wet

Planting & Care

• Female plants need a male pollinator to produce fruit
• Prune in late winter to early spring when dormant

Problems

Suckers and can colonize in the wild, birds spread seed

Varieties

• Indian Brave - male
• Indian Maiden - female