Bittersweet

Now that the leaves are down I am distressed to see as I drive around that 
the trees are blanketed in the orange berries of Japanese bittersweet 
(Celastrus orbiculata).  Yes, it's pretty to look at, but I have never seen
so many berries, and each one of them is going to be a new vine next
year.  At this rate Kudzu, the "vine that ate the South" is going to be
mild compared to what bittersweet is doing to the Northeast.  I was 
pleased that as we drove south through Delaware and Maryland into
Virginia I only saw one patch - in Delaware.  I hope that means that
this plague has not spread out of this area.  
This spring it seemed to me that there were more seedling vines
than ever - they just came up almost like grass.  It was in a tree on
a neighbor's property.  They said it didn't bother them - anything green
was fine so far as they were concerned.  But the way it is spreading
is frightening.  Does anyone else have this problem?
Auralie - NY - Hudson Valley

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