It’s hard to compete with the spectacular colors on the trees this time of year, but the bittersweet vine is fearless. And triumphant.
You’ll find it growing wild in woodland settings all over Maine. As well as decorating shops and homes.
It appears that the two varieties are hard to tell apart, except that the Oriental Bittersweet is thought to be ‘invasive,’ and the ‘native’ American Bittersweet is thought to be more timid.
Either one can steal the show.