#NewThisDay Writing From My Photo Stream
Charles River, Trestle View, Near Rocky Narrows
Notes on Oriental Bittersweet’s Bitter News
Bittersweet on the River's Edge - Such riveting, eye-catching colors in autumn
“The defining characteristic of the plant is its vines. . .
when it is near a tree or shrub, the vines twist themselves around the trunk. The encircling vines have been known to strangle the host tree to death. . .
distinctive red seeds which are encased in yellow pods that break open during autumn. All parts of the plant are poisonous. . .
Oriental bittersweet has naturalized to landscapes, roadsides, and woodlands of eastern North America. . .
its dispersal has endangered the survival of several other species…
attractively colored fruit. . . is eaten by mammals and birds, which excrete the seeds to different locations. . .
threatens the local flora because the native plants then have a strong competitor. . .
native to Eastern Asia. . . was introduced to the US for aesthetic purposes. . . used in floral arrangements, and because of improper disposal the plant has been recklessly introduced into areas, affecting the ecology of over 33 states. . .”
All photos and words copyright Kelly DuMar, 2016, unless otherwise attributed