do birds eat bittersweet berries

I soon learned that the berries are the product of the bittersweet vine, a vagabond species that is apt to show up anywhere the seeds were deposited in a process that veers off from the norm and that some might not find too appealing. But nature being what she is uses all means and methods at her disposal to get things to where she wants them, no matter how extreme or unorthodox.

Native to North America, climbing, or American, bittersweet plant (Celastrus scandens) produces woody vines that can grow to 20 feet or more and that must seek out some type of support to hold them up off the ground. In the garden, this can, and should, be a trellis or arbor, as the vines can quickly choke out a host plant by wrapping itself around the trunk or main stem, a process called girdling, becoming parasitic in the process. In the wild, bittersweet selects whatever shrub or low tree is handiest along a forest edge or river bank for climbing and twining purposes, and will continue growing and subsisting there for years barring a natural disaster such as a fire or excavation for development.

The vines sport unimpressive green flowers in the summer and glossy green leaves that turn bright yellow in the fall. As autumn nears, green berries appear that eventually turn yellow-orange. During the late fall and early winter, the outer layers split open to reveal bright red inner layers that contain the seeds. The fruits are prized by many species of birds, including but not limited to the Eastern bluebird, gray catbird, American robin, and wild turkeys. Gray squirrels also love them, as do deer. But the plants’ existence and propagation depends entirely on the fact that, what birds and other creatures eat, they also must, by necessity, eliminate, and it is this crude but efficient system that assures the bittersweet’s survival.

While most plant materials such as vegetation and other forage are broken down inside an animal or bird’s digestive system, the bittersweet seeds, like many other impervious seeds, remain whole and unprocessed. Once eliminated, they are ready to germinate, provided the host animal chose a fertile and receptive spot in which to go to the bathroom. Thus, as with many wild plants, it’s virtually impossible to know just where a new bittersweet vine will sprout and seek out a shrub or tree to help it along. It could be anywhere a bird flew over or below which it perched briefly on a branch, or any wood’s edge where a squirrel stopped to recall where it buried that acorn last summer.

There is no end to the tricks nature uses to assure the survival of the myriad plants that grow in the wild and that beautify our woods, fields, and our very lives. Like other types of berry-laden vines, bittersweet is prized for its use as an ornamental, both in gardens and in dried flower arrangements. Thanks to the wild animals with which we share our world, there should be no end to the supply anytime soon..

— Rachel Lovejoy, a freelance writer living in Saco, who enjoys exploring the woods of southern Maine, can be reached via email at rachell1950@hotmail.com.

The woody vines of the climbing, or American, bittersweet, plant (Celastrus scandens), which is native to North America, can reach a height of 20 feet or more before needing support to stay above the ground. This can, and should, be a trellis or arbor in the garden because the vines can quickly choke out a host plant by girdling—wrapping themselves around the trunk or main stem—and becoming parasitic in the process. In the wild, bittersweet will climb and twine along whatever shrub or low tree is most useful along a forest edge or river bank. If there isn’t a natural disaster like a fire or excavation for development, it will stay there for years.

The strategies employed by nature to ensure the survival of the countless plants that thrive in the wild and enhance our fields, forests, and lives are endless. Bittersweet, like other berry-bearing vines, is valued for its decorative qualities in gardens and dried flower arrangements. The wild animals we coexist with on our planet ensure that the supply won’t run out anytime soon.

— Saco-based freelance writer Rachel Lovejoy can be reached at rachell1950@hotmail.com. She loves to hike through southern Maine’s woods. com.

I quickly discovered that the berries are the result of the bittersweet vine, a roving species that, in an unusual and possibly unappealing process, is likely to appear wherever the seeds were left. However, nature being what she is, she employs every strategy available to her to get things where she wants them to go, regardless of how drastic or unconventional.

The digestive systems of animals and birds break down the majority of plant materials, such as vegetation and other forage, but bittersweet seeds, like many other impervious seeds, stay whole and unprocessed. Once removed, they are prepared to germinate, provided the host animal selected a favourable and accepting location for urination. Thus, it’s nearly impossible to predict exactly where a new bittersweet vine will sprout and look for a shrub or tree to help it along, just like with many other wild plants. Anywhere a bird flies overhead or below and perches momentarily on a branch, or any wooded area where a squirrel pauses to remember where it buried that acorn the previous summer, could be the location.

This brings up the final point of the discussion you and your spouse are having. First, you should take a cutting of the plant in question to a nearby garden center to see if you have the harmless native bittersweet. If bittersweet, imported or not, is good for birds, shouldn’t we encourage it and not remove it? Leave it alone if it’s the American Bittersweet. It grows slowly and doesn’t hurt the nearby plants too much. But, given how much more prevalent Oriental Bittersweet has become recently, the chances are that you will be dealing with it. Moreover, I advise giving it the old heave-ho if it is the imported one. Though its berries are consumed by some birds, they are not their favorite. The trees and shrubs that the aggressive vine will eventually displace will most likely be better for the birds.

Florists aren’t the only ones to blame here. Our old friends the birds eventually pass the bittersweet berries through their digestive systems after consuming them. The birds are then devoid of the seeds and other indigestible components in the form of, well, you know Whatever droppings full of seeds that miss my car’s windshield fall to the ground, where they stand a good chance of sprouting into a vibrant new bittersweet patch.

I received a note from Priscilla in Caswell, Maine, asking if pumpkin seeds were okay for birds to eat and why they weren’t sold as bird food. Additionally, she desired a lengthy response. Well, sorry, Priscilla. Even I can’t drag out an answer about pumpkin seeds. However, they are fine for birds to eat. The cost is the main deterrent to their being sold as bird food. I’ve observed them reaching three or four dollars per pound. Whoa! Sunflower seeds are still cheaper and better. Pumpkin seeds are often sold in mixes for caged birds. Pet bird people are like dog people. The more they spend, the happier they are.

My spouse desires to get rid of every bittersweet plant in our yard. He claims that it’s a nuisance plant. I’ve been trying to convince him to leave it alone. Its vibrant berries not only add color to our yard, but I believe they provide a significant amount of food for the birds. Do you agree?.

Here’s what I know about bittersweet. It is found in eastern North America in two species. One species is beneficial, and you should definitely promote its growth. However, the good bittersweet has an evil twin, just like many other things in life. Similar in appearance to the good bittersweet, this bad bittersweet spirals out of control, destroying or uprooting everything in its path. Here is one more piece of information. The evil bittersweet twin was introduced from overseas. Are you surprised? No? I didn’t think so.

FAQ

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