American Bittersweet vs Falsebox - TreeTime.ca

American Bittersweet vs Falsebox

Celastrus scandens

Paxistima myrsinites

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

CUSTOM GROW

American Bittersweet
Falsebox

American Bittersweet is a deciduous, woody, perennial vine with striking orange to yellow berries that persist into winter. Indigenous to North America, this vine has become so rare it is now considered a protected species.

Excellent for naturalization projects, American Bittersweet attracts birds and other wildlife. Please keep in mind that the plant is toxic to humans and should not be ingested. To ensure the attractive berries are produced, cross-pollination between a male and female plant must occur.

Falsebox is a hardy, native evergreen shrub found in forests, rocky slopes, and open woodland sites. Though small and easily overlooked among the leaves, the maroon flowers still supply nectar and pollen for pollinators such as native bees and flies. Blooming in spring, they provide an important early-season food source. Its year-round greenery adds visual interest through the winter.

Falsebox is a low-growing shrub that tolerates a wide range of conditions, including drought once established. It thrives particularly well beneath the shade of mature trees, where few other plants succeed. With its resilience and ecological value, Falsebox is well-suited for naturalization, restoration projects, and diverse landscape plantings.

American Bittersweet Quick Facts

Falsebox Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 5a
Height: 6 m (20 ft)
Height: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Spread: 1.8 m (6 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: any
Moisture: normal
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: slow
Life span: medium
Life span: medium
Growth form: prostrate to spreading
Spreading: layering - medium
Suckering: medium

Toxicity: All parts of plant are toxic to humans

Foliage: evergreen, leathery leaves
Bark: reddish-brown
Flowers: small white clusters
Flowers: small, maroon-purple, fragrant
Bloom time: summer
Berries: red-orange, toxic to mammals
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: SK, MB, ON, QC, NB
Native to: AB, BC
Other Names: false box, mountain boxwood, mountain lover, myrtle boxwood, oregon boxleaf, oregon boxwood