
Photo courtesy of Bailey Nurseries
Generally, when I share what’s doing the blooming each week, it’s a plant that is blooming! However this week, I’m featuring a plant that has never been known for it’s bloom. Rather, it’s known for it’s most spectacular fall fruit! Bittersweet is a native, woody vine that grows quietly along fences, over arbors and up trellises. Its’ bright green, glossy summer foliage doesn’t attract attention. Then, fall arrives, and with it the glossy green leaves become bright yellow fall foliage and vivid orange “berries” appear. The orange outer shells pop open, revealing the swollen red fruit inside, making this inconspicuous vine a wall flower no more!

Photo courtesy of Bailey Nurseries
At Knecht’s you will find a revolutionary variety of bittersweet appropriately named, Autumn Revolution. These plants have revolutionized bittersweet with the unique ability to produce fruit without having both a male and female plant. Not only are they self-fruitful, their fruit is almost twice as big as the fruit found on our more wild, native varieties of bittersweet. Autumn Revolution Bittersweet can reach as far as 15-20′, making it a great choice for larger scale structures and for covering fences. Once established, these plants are drought tolerant. The vines and fruit are well suited to fresh cut and dried arrangements. It is a fantastic fall favorite!