Dec 29, Bittersweet Vine:

When it comes to identifying the bittersweet vine, the first thing that you have to know is that is there are 3 different plants that are called by the same name.

These three have characteristic difference over each other but ever single one has a level of toxicity and cannot be taken internally. One of these vines is more deadly than the others.

Though the other two vines were used as herbal remedies, this practice is no longer done.

False variety, Celastrus ScandensAsian variety, Celastrus OrbiculatusTrue variety, Solanum Dulcamara

False Bittersweet Vine

This vine plant is quite a rare find and is on the endangered species list. It is indigenous to Eastern and Midwest North America but can also be found in the Northern and Central regions.

In the past, it grew abundantly in Maine. Consuming this any part of this plant can result in intestinal problems. The smooth wooden stems twirl upwards towards the sun.

During the fall season, the false variety is a wonderful sight to behold as it is quite colorful. The red-orange berries appear in small clusters at the tips of the vines and the ovate leaves are striking green in color.

Asian Bittersweet Vine

This vine plant is considered as an invasive plant and can become a pest when left out of control. If it covers another plant, it will eventually strangle it, and it can do much damage to structures like walls and posts.

The rate of growth of this vine is quite rapid and due to its hardy nature it can thrive in nearly any kind of environmental condition.

Its leaves are more rounded than that of the false variety and the berry growth is spread throughout the thorny woody stem. When these berries are consumed, they can cause diarrhea, stomach cramping and vomiting.

True Bittersweet

This vine plant is more commonly known as Poison Berry or Nightshade. As the name will indicate, ingestion of the berries of this plant will cause poisoning.

This plant is indigenous to Europe and America. It is a showy vine that has very attractive rounded berries which change from the color green when unripe, to orange, then red.

It is interesting to note that the fruit of this vine plant is only poisonous to humans and animals but not to birds.

This is because these vine plants depend on birds to consume their berries and drop down their seeds for them to propagate even more.

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