June 1,
Blue Hills Reservation, Milton
Oriental bittersweet climbing onto a white pine. It was introduced to the US supposedly in 1860 as an ornamental vine "chiefly
grown for handsome yellow fruit opening at maturity and disclosing the crimson seed" (Alfred Rehder). 150 years later it is
known as the most horrible weed of natural habitats capable of killing entire forests of mature trees. Once it becomes established,
it is extremely tough to eradicate.