Native Plants
![](../_images/smarty_plants.gif)
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
![](../_images/mr_smarty_plants_logo_web_200w.jpg)
rate this answer
![](../_images/star_00.gif)
Wednesday - May 29, 2013
From: Pendleton, IN
Region: Midwest
Topic: General Botany, Propagation, Vines
Title: Blooming but not berrying American bittersweet from Pendleton IN
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
I have had a bittersweet plant for years, it blooms but not berries. How do I tell if it is male or female so I can buy the opposite? It is currently blooming.ANSWER:
As you can see from this USDA Plant Profile, Celastrus scandens (American bittersweet) is native to Madison County. We always check that first because the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is committed to the growth, propagation and protection of plants native not only to North America but to the area in which those plants evolved. This helps to ensure that they are in the right soils, climate and rainfall for that particular plant.
From a website on this plant from the Missouri Botanical Garden, we picked up this information:
"These plants are primarily dioecious (separate male and female plants), although some have a few perfect flowers. Female plants need a male pollinator to produce the attractive fruit that is the signature of this vine. Unfortunately, some nurseries do not sell the vines as male or female."
This means you can't tell if the plant is male or female because both flower. If it is female, obviously you don't have a male within flying distance of the bee pollinators, or it would already be fruiting.
We did considerable looking, but there is apparently no way for the lay person to tell if the plant is male or female and most nursery personnel don't know, either. If you go to a nursery and buy a fruiting plant, it may have been a female artificially pollinated by the nursery that grew it, and not berry again in your garden the next year due to the lack of male pollinators. Because of the sales appeal of fruiting vines, most of what is for sale is female. Sorry.
From the Image Gallery
More Propagation Questions
Follow-up on Viburnum dentatum question
September 24, 2008 - This is a follow up to an earlier question, posted Sept 20, about Viburnum dentatum shrubs. I'm not sure I understand your answer. If the person having trouble getting berries went out and bought a...
view the full question and answer
Propagation of quincula lobata from Alleyton TX
July 20, 2011 - Quincula lobata..how to propagate and when?
view the full question and answer
Sales of horseherb seeds in Arlington, TX area
October 27, 2009 - Where can I purchase horseherb seeds in Arlington tx.or Dallas Ft.Worth area
view the full question and answer
Taking a cutting from Niagara grape in Warfordsburg PA
April 27, 2010 - How do I take a cutting from a Niagara grape plant, and then re-plant that cutting?
view the full question and answer
Transplanting or seeding Indian paintbrush in Bend OR
July 21, 2009 - I would like to know whether I can transplant native Indian paintbrush plants into my landscaping, or do I need to try and grow them from seed?
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |