Oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus), also known as Asiatic or Asian bittersweet is a woody invasive vine in the staff-vine family (Celastraceae). Native to East Asia, it was introduced to the United States of America as an ornamental plant sometime in the mid-1800s. It ability to spread aggressively and rapidly allows it to dominate forest canopies. The vines can climb up the full canopy of trees and can girdle or strangle the trunk and block sunlight from reaching the tree, eventually killing it.
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