Pollinator plant

American bittersweet

Celastrus scandens

Pollinator recipe
Sign in to use recipes

Common names

22 names · 14 languages
EnglishYour language
+3 more namesShow fewer names
Other languages (13)
Dutch
  • Amerikaanse boomwurger[2][4]
  • Boomwurger
French
Chinese (Simplified)
  • 攀援南蛇藤[4]
  • 爬藤卫矛[4]
Chinese (Traditional)
  • 爬藤衛矛[4]
Czech
  • jesenec popínavý[4]
Danish
  • amerikansk celaster[4]
Estonian
  • harilik tselaster[4]
  • roniv tselaster[4]
Finnish
  • amerikankelasköynnös[4]
Laadan
  • ríshoméenanethil[4]
Polish
  • dławisz amerykański[4]
Portuguese
Russian
  • Древогубец лазящий[4]
Slovak
  • bršlenec popínavý[4]
Sources & name notes (4)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Catalogue language labels are reviewed separately from botanical source records.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Celastrus scandens — Plant Toolbox common names ↗

NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox; English common names in a United States horticultural reference.

Source records
  • American Bittersweet — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(1); heading: Common Name(s):; Celastrus scandens.
  • Bittersweet — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(2); heading: Common Name(s):; Celastrus scandens.
  • Climbing Bittersweet — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(3); heading: Common Name(s):; Celastrus scandens.
  • False Bittersweet — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(4); heading: Common Name(s):; Celastrus scandens.
  • Shrubby Bittersweet — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(5); heading: Common Name(s):; Celastrus scandens.
  • Waxwork — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(6); heading: Common Name(s):; Celastrus scandens.
[2] Celastrus scandens — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy. This is a common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • American bittersweet — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 64538; Celastrus scandens.
  • false bittersweet — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 64538; Celastrus scandens.
  • bourreau-des-arbres — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 64538; Celastrus scandens.
  • Amerikaanse boomwurger — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 64538; Celastrus scandens.
  • Algoz-das-árvores — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 64538; Celastrus scandens.
[3] Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Celastrus scandens ↗

Common names from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20. License: CC BY.

Source records
  • American bittersweet — VernacularName.tsv, line 151569; taxon S32F.
[4] Celastrus scandens — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • American bittersweet — results[9].names[1]; taxon id 64538; Celastrus scandens.
  • false bittersweet — results[9].names[14]; taxon id 64538; Celastrus scandens.
  • bourreau-des-arbres — results[9].names[12]; taxon id 64538; Celastrus scandens.
  • Amerikaanse boomwurger — results[9].names[16]; taxon id 64538; Celastrus scandens.
  • Algoz-das-árvores — results[9].names[3]; taxon id 64538; Celastrus scandens.
  • jesenec popínavý — results[9].names[4]; taxon id 64538; Celastrus scandens.
  • amerikankelasköynnös — results[9].names[5]; taxon id 64538; Celastrus scandens.
  • Древогубец лазящий — results[9].names[6]; taxon id 64538; Celastrus scandens.
  • harilik tselaster — results[9].names[7]; taxon id 64538; Celastrus scandens.
  • roniv tselaster — results[9].names[8]; taxon id 64538; Celastrus scandens.
  • 爬藤衛矛 — results[9].names[9]; taxon id 64538; Celastrus scandens.
  • ríshoméenanethil — results[9].names[10]; taxon id 64538; Celastrus scandens.
  • 爬藤卫矛 — results[9].names[11]; taxon id 64538; Celastrus scandens.
  • dławisz amerykański — results[9].names[13]; taxon id 64538; Celastrus scandens.
  • amerikansk celaster — results[9].names[15]; taxon id 64538; Celastrus scandens.
  • 攀援南蛇藤 — results[9].names[17]; taxon id 64538; Celastrus scandens.
  • bršlenec popínavý — results[9].names[18]; taxon id 64538; Celastrus scandens.
Plant references

Source-backed information

Published observations for this plant. Each reference supports the information beside it.

Taxonomy
Celastrus scandens is an accepted species in Catalogue of Life.

Taxonomic treatment in the August 2026 release; the catalogue record name is preserved.

Sources [1]
Botanical family
Celastraceae

Family in the cited taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1]
Mature height
6.1–7.62 m

NC State Extension profile. Converted from the source range in feet and inches; mature size varies with growing conditions.

Sources [2]
Mature spread
0.61–2.44 m

NC State Extension profile. Converted from the source range in feet and inches; mature size varies with growing conditions.

Sources [2]
Plant habit
Climbing; Spreading

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Life cycle
Perennial

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Growth rate
Rapid

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Foliage
Deciduous

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day); Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Moisture and drainage
Good Drainage; Moist

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Soil pH
Alkaline (>8.0)

NC State Extension profile. These source categories do not certify the catalogue’s numeric pH interval.

Sources [2]
Flowering season
Spring; Summer

NC State Extension profile. Seasons reflect the source region and do not verify the catalogue’s exact flowering months.

Sources [2]
Native range
C. & E. Canada to N. & E. & C. U.S.A.

Explicit native locality records in Kew WCVP v16; introduced and doubtful distributions excluded. Continent conversion follows the documented geographic mapping.

Sources [3]
Catalogue ratings

Who this plant supports

Honey bees

Medium suitability
Nectar value Medium
Pollen value Medium
Plant profile

About this plant

American bittersweet (Celastrus scandens) is a climbing plant. It flowers from April to May.

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Catalogue of Life Celastrus scandens — Catalogue of Life COL26.8

    COL26.8 (2026-08-20). Contributing checklist: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World. This is taxonomic evidence, not an independent ecological study.

    Supports: TaxonomyBotanical family
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: NameUsage.tsv line 5146084; ID S32F; rank species; status accepted
    • Botanical family: NameUsage.tsv line 5146084; ID S32F; rank species; status accepted

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 4.0.

  2. NC State Extension Celastrus scandens — Plant Toolbox

    NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Growing conditions and seasons reflect its United States horticultural context.

    Supports: Mature heightMature spreadPlant habitLife cycleGrowth rateFoliageLightMoisture and drainageSoil textureSoil pHFlowering season
    Relevant sections
    • Mature height: Dimensions / Height
    • Mature spread: Dimensions / Width
    • Plant habit: Habit/Form
    • Life cycle: Life Cycle
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Foliage: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
    • Light: Light
    • Moisture and drainage: Soil Drainage
    • Soil texture: Soil Texture
    • Soil pH: Soil pH
    • Flowering season: Flower Bloom Time

    Source checked on .

  3. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Celastrus scandens — Kew WCVP native distribution

    Native distribution and taxonomic treatment from the official WCVP v16 export (4 June 2026). The link opens the corresponding POWO taxon. Source rows are retained in the native-range audit archive.

    Supports: Native range
    Relevant sections
    • Native range: WCVP v16; wcvp_names.csv lines 747391; wcvp_distribution.csv native locality lines 1249657, 1249658, 1249659, 1249660, 1249661, 1249662, 1249663, 1249664, 1249665, 1249666, 1249667, 1249668, 1249669, 1249670, 1249671, 1249672, 1249673, 1249674, 1249675, 1249676, 1249677, 1249678, 1249679, 1249680, 1249681, 1249682, 1249683, 1249684, 1249685, 1249686, 1249687, 1249688, 1249689, 1249690, 1249691, 1249692, 1249693, 1249694, 1249695, 1249696, 1249697, 1249698, 1249699

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.