#NewThisDay Writing From My Photo Stream

October 29, 2016 Kelly DuMar

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. . .

Notes adapted from Wikipedia entry for oriental bittersweet

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