Bittersweet bumper crop :)

[Carol Dee]

We planted 2 bittersweet maybe 5 -6 years ago. (Books said we would need two to get fruit.) One died the 1st winter. The other thrived but never produced berries until last fall. I missed my chance to harvest, then they froze off or birds ate. This fall I got LOTS. Plenty for myself, more to share with friends and family and some for the birds!

 

[so lucky]

How pretty! I have seen it growing wild somewhere near here, but can't remember exactly where.

 

[catjac1975]

We planted 2 bittersweet maybe 5 -6 years ago. (Books said we would need two to get fruit.) One died the 1st winter. The other thrived but never produced berries until last fall. I missed my chance to harvest, then they froze off or birds ate. This fall I got LOTS. Plenty for myself, more to share with friends and family and some for the birds! View attachment 9858

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Though it is lovely I cannot express loud enough that you should get rid of it. I planted it and was thrilled with the beauty of it climbing into the trees. It killed many full grown trees of all kinds including full grown cedars. It strangles trees and leaves a terrible mess where you need a back how to remove. Birds carry the berries and thus spread the vine.

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

do you know if your's is the American bittersweet or Oriental Bittersweet? i'm fighting the Oriental in my yard and it hasn't been pretty.

 

[Carol Dee]

do you know if your's is the American bittersweet or Oriental Bittersweet? i'm fighting the Oriental in my yard and it hasn't been pretty.

No Idea, we bought it from a mail order catalog. The berries are bigger than what we see in the wild.

 

[Carol Dee]

Though it is lovely I cannot express loud enough that you should get rid of it. I planted it and was thrilled with the beauty of it climbing into the trees. It killed many full grown trees of all kinds including full grown cedars. It strangles trees and leaves a terrible mess where you need a back how to remove. Birds carry the berries and thus spread the vine.

So far it has been very well behaved! We see it no where else on the 2 acre partially wooded lot. It is grown on a 3 strand wire fence. No trees near it.

 

[baymule]

What is bittersweet and am I supposed to be glad that I don't know what it is?

 

[Carol Dee]

What is bittersweet and am I supposed to be glad that I don't know what it is?

Well apparently it does not grow in TX !!!! According to Cat and Chickie you do not want it anyway.

 

[journey11]

Pretty! I had available two small vines of bittersweet growing wild, one on my dad's farm and another along the lane to my MIL's house. I was able to get just a small amount for decorating. Both have died out! I only got one picking off of each. I have seen it one other place along a country road, growing up into some trees as Cat said. If you end up with more than you want in future years, maybe you can sell some of it to a florist in the fall.

 

[Nyboy]

I bought a small vine that died. label said non invasive variety. Guess like a lot of plants wild forum can get out of control.