My Deer Garden

Plant record · Vine

Is American Bittersweet deer resistant?

Celastrus scandens

Orange bittersweet berries splitting open
Photo by The Cosmonaut, CC BY-SA 2.5 ca. Via Wikimedia Commons.
Damage step 2 of 4 · Seldom Severely Damaged

Mostly. Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.

Type
Vine
Hardiness
Zones 3–8
Light
Part shade
Height
240–300 in
Bloom
Spring and Summer
Maintenance
Moderate
Native range
39 US states
Toxic to
dogs, cats, and horses

Damage steps follow a published university field scale. How plants are rated.

About American Bittersweet

Orange capsules split to show scarlet seeds, which is why it is cut for fall arrangements. You need a male and a female vine for fruit, and be certain you are buying the native rather than the invasive Oriental species.

Soil and care

Soil pH
5.5 to 7.5
Drainage
Average garden soil
Water
Low
Spacing
71 to 118 in apart
Growth rate
Fast
Maintenance
Moderate

Similar to American Bittersweet

Other vines with the same deer rating.

Where American Bittersweet grows

Hardy across 50 states on zone range alone, and native to 39 of them. Mountain and coastal areas sit outside the ranges used here, so check your own zone before ordering. Select any state, including one it will not grow in, for what is resistant there.

Alabama — native, and hardy. Zones 7 to 9.Alaska — hardy here. Zones 1 to 8.Arizona — hardy here. Zones 5 to 10.Arkansas — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 8.California — hardy here. Zones 7 to 10.Colorado — hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.Connecticut — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Delaware — native, and hardy. Zones 7 to 7.District of Columbia — native, and hardy. Zones 7 to 8.Florida — hardy here. Zones 8 to 11.Georgia — native, and hardy. Zones 7 to 9.Hawaii — not hardy here. Zones 9 to 12.Idaho — hardy here. Zones 3 to 7.Illinois — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Indiana — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 6.Iowa — native, and hardy. Zones 4 to 6.Kansas — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Kentucky — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 7.Louisiana — native, and hardy. Zones 8 to 10.Maine — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 6.Maryland — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 8.Massachusetts — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Michigan — native, and hardy. Zones 4 to 6.Minnesota — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 5.Mississippi — native, and hardy. Zones 7 to 9.Missouri — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Montana — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 6.Nebraska — native, and hardy. Zones 4 to 6.Nevada — hardy here. Zones 4 to 9.New Hampshire — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 6.New Jersey — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 7.New Mexico — hardy here. Zones 4 to 9.New York — native, and hardy. Zones 4 to 7.North Carolina — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 8.North Dakota — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 4.Ohio — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 6.Oklahoma — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 8.Oregon — hardy here. Zones 6 to 9.Pennsylvania — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Rhode Island — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 7.South Carolina — native, and hardy. Zones 7 to 9.South Dakota — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 5.Tennessee — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 8.Texas — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 9.Utah — hardy here. Zones 4 to 9.Vermont — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 5.Virginia — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 8.Washington — hardy here. Zones 5 to 8.West Virginia — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Wisconsin — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 5.Wyoming — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 6.
Native and hardyHardy on zone rangeNot hardy — still linked
Choose a state from the listeasier on a phone

Common questions about American Bittersweet

Is American Bittersweet deer resistant?
American Bittersweet (Celastrus scandens) is rated Seldom Severely Damaged, step 2 of 4 on the damage scale this site uses. Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.
What hardiness zones does American Bittersweet grow in?
American Bittersweet is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 8. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
Does American Bittersweet grow in shade?
Yes. American Bittersweet tolerates part shade, which makes it one of the options for a shaded bed where deer also browse.
How big does American Bittersweet get?
Mature height is roughly 240–300 in. Growth rate is fast.
Is American Bittersweet toxic to dogs or cats?
Yes. The ASPCA lists American Bittersweet as toxic to dogs, cats, and horses. Site it away from where animals graze, or choose something else if you have a dog that chews.

Browse from here

Every list American Bittersweet belongs to.

All vines·Seldom damaged·Part shade plants

Hardy in these zones

Zone 3·Zone 4·Zone 5·Zone 6·Zone 7·Zone 8

Damage ratings follow the four-step field scale published by Rutgers University. Growing data is compiled from state extension sources and still being verified record by record. Last reviewed .