Common Name:  Oriental Bittersweet Scientific Name:  Celastrus orbiculatus Plant Origin:  Japan, Korea, northern China Serves as a host for plant pathogens and other organisms than can damage native plants. Covers ground so densely that native tree and shrub seedlings cannot germinate and grow. Grows into dense tangles that reduce the flow of air through the forests, increasing temperatures and humidity levels and leading to increased fungal diseases. Grows up the trunks and branches of forest trees and into the canopy, weighing them down and making them susceptible to wind damage. Toppled trees deplete forest stream buffers.