Chokecherry Seed

American bittersweet is a native woody and shrubby climber, growing over trees or fences. It has smooth thin leaves 2 to 4 inches long and about half as wide. The small greenish-white  flowers are produced in June in short clusters. The fruit is a round, orange-yellow capsule which opens in autumn, disclosing the scarlet-colored seed pod. The seed capsules remain on the plant well into the cold season and provide food for birds in the winter.  Fruits are eaten by songbirds, ruffed grouse, pheasants, bobwhite and squirrel.  Old fruits are eaten as survival foods by many birds and animals in late winter.   Fruits should NOT be eaten by humans.  While not extremely toxic, they will “clean you out at both ends”.  Bunches of twisted branchlets, loaded with fruit, are very decorative and the plant is disappearing in many places because of the ruthless methods of market pickers.  Our stock is not from the wild!!  We have selected ‘stock’ plants which grow on site here and have chosen the best over the years for the most desirable characteristics.

Way back in the dark and mysterious past, many shepherds hung bittersweet around the necks of those sheep which were suspected to be under the evil eye.  I don’t think it is really necessary myself.  Save this bit of lore for your next trivia game.

Often planted as an ornamental vine for the showy fruits. A good climber on trellises, arbors, porches. Fast growing. Decorative berries and twisted vines make interesting projects.

You will need both male and female  plants to produce berries!  1 male can pollinate 4-5 female vines.  MUST be planted within 30 feet of each other.

Light: Partial to full sun. Best fruit in full sun.

Soil Moisture: Dry to moist.

Soil pH: Acid to neutral.

Hardy to zone 4a and some say zone 3.

Betula Papyrifera

The Birch family  is noted for its fall leaf color, and white peeling bark. They also grow fairly quickly!  These are the trees that were used by the Indians for making canoes

Zones 2 – 7.  Will do poorly south of zone 7.

Naturally grows in clumps, so plant three or four together.

Grows 40 – 80+ feet, depending on location, and prefers cool, damp areas, that are well drained.

Best adapted to cooler climates as it does poorly in high summer heat, especially root zone heat!
Prefers well-drained, slightly acid sandy loam soils
Full sun.
Avoid spring pruning to prevent bleeding.

When planting to the landscape, do NOT set the tree deeper than it was growing in the container or the upper roots will grow around the trunk at the base and kill it.

Packet of 200 seeds