What Eats Celastrus Orbiculatus?

Oriental Bittersweet

• Celastrus orbiculatus is the scientific name for Oriental bittersweet, also called Asian or Japanese bittersweet. This deciduous perennial grows as a climbing vine and extends as much as 60 feet into the air, twisting its brown vines around plants, trees or structures. Oriental bittersweet appears similar to American bittersweet but can be distinguished by differences in the location of its female flowers which are clustered in groups of three or seven near the junction of the stem and branch whereas American bittersweet has clusters of more numerous flowers.

Bird Food

• A valuable winter food source, Oriental bittersweet is eaten by a variety of birds, including blue jays, chickadees, mockingbirds and European starlings. Although humans do not typically eat the fruit, extracts from the vine have historically been used in China and South America as a treatment for a number of ailments, including rheumatoid arthritis, stomach problems, cancer and inflammation. The extract is also used as an insect repellent and agricultural insecticide.

Pests

• Introduced into the U.S. as an ornamental specimen, Oriental bittersweet is rarely -- if ever -- targeted as a food source by insects. With no pests to keep it in check, the vine grows rapidly. As a result, it is considered an invasive, noxious weed in all states where it grows. The plant vigorously crowds out competing plants and frequently smothers other specimens with its voracious appetite for expansion.

Biological Control

• Trees on which the Celastrus orbiculatus grows become weighted down with the vine, often resulting in the snapping of limbs, especially during high wind or severe winter conditions. When a climbing plant is considered a nuisance, scientists typically pursue biological controls in the form of insects -- often imported from other countries -- released into the environment to eat the plant. No such biological control, however, exists for Oriental bittersweet. Chemical, manual and mechanical methods are available to control the vine. These methods include pulling small vines by hand, cutting larger vines with shears and applying herbicides.