A Haven for Vee

Friday, November 1, 2013

How to Find Bittersweet~Photo Friday

I think I'm cheating with a mosaic; I think I'm cheating by chatting, too. ☺ 

One finds bittersweet by looking for a drift of rust in the trees and on fences. Being near water or in a swampy area doesn't hurt. See how the bittersweet will strangle the tree on the bottom right above? It may already have. Sometimes the host tree looks alive because of the foliage of the bittersweet. Now that I'm getting used to looking for bittersweet, I'm seeing it everywhere. Before I would have just passed it by thinking that it was tired foliage.

Linking to *Kati's Photo Friday.*

Kati's Little Corner of the World
Is it as Novembery there as it is here?

 
P.S. You can read more about this plant *here* and *here.* Seems that I have the invasive Asian or Oriental bittersweet because the berry grows along the vine and there are some thorns. Well, I won't be planting that at my place. Things are further complicated by the plants co-mingling and having characteristics of both parent plants. Hmmm... 

35 comments:

  1. Morning Vee. I love your new header! Beautiful. And the bittersweet looks wonderful although I can see that it is very invasive. It looks pretty when the leaves are gone off the trees and shrubs though. It's very windy, rainy and warm here today. Like November except for the temperature which is 10 degrees warmer than usual. Have a good weekend.

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  2. I like the mosaic template Vee and the tips for finding bittersweet. I'll keep an eye out when on the country roads.
    Judith

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  3. Interesting. I was thinking it didn't grow around these parts. Maybe I just haven't been looking in the right places.
    I LOVE your new header. The little red roofed cottage is so sweet.

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  4. Hi sweet Vee!!! Such beautiful photographs as always ~ and the bittersweet looks beautiful. I hope you and the family are doing so very good! Our leaves are just now in full color here in GA and the chill comes and goes. Stay cozy dear friend, hugs and love, Dawn

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  5. So pretty! I've never seen real bittersweet. I like that pop of color! (Oh and I don't think your cheating with a mosaic.) Thanks for linking up again! :)

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  6. I don't think we have bittersweet here, it sure makes for some beautiful photos tho. Our November morning started out in the 30's...brrr.

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  7. How beautiful! I try to find some that you don't have to climb a tree to get! lol Have you seen Pyracantha in your area? It has dark orange clusters of berries and looks a little like bittersweet. For us Southerners....watch for poison oak when you're pulling it from a tangle of vines! What else are you making with this? Sweet hugs!

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  8. So beautiful Vee...We do not have bittersweet growing around here.. sigh... On another note, I love what you did with the front porch..putting BS around the light added so much balance to your scene..lovely... and the saying at the end of your post about the little pitcher... I LOVE!! save us Oh Lord..
    Love, Mona

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  9. A local farmers market sells bittersweet wreaths. I have never seen it growing, but now I will keep my eyes open!

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  10. Beautiful! We don't have bittersweet around here so I will enjoy yours :) It is very Novembery here....or maybe it's more like December since it's very gloomy with snow hanging in the air. I love these kind of days - perfect tea and coffee days :) Enjoy your weekend!

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  11. Good Morning Vee! I have seen this plant before, but I had no idea it could strangle a tree. Wow! Something so pretty, but so damaging too. I always enjoyed the colors of the leaves because they were so bright.
    Happy Friday!
    Ceil

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  12. Beautiful pictures. The bittersweet is pretty, not so sure I have seen it. Love your mosaic.The weather is changing. We started our gas fireplace in the family room. xo

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  13. I'm actually in tears seeing your post...Kelly and I use to go hunting for bittersweet to decorate for the Thanksgiving holiday. It's why I chose the Vera Bradley Bittersweet Tote for her give-away. Thanks for the memory; we had such fun times, XOXO

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  14. That's a nice batch of bittersweet you found. The only place I've ever seen it was along a country road growing on a fence where I used to snitch a few branches. The fence is no longer there and neither is the bittersweet. I haven't seen it anywhere else except for sale and I broke down a bought a little bundle this year. Have a nice weekend!

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  15. It's definitely Novembery here - cold, wet, and dark. Only 6 months til warmer weather!! :-)

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  16. LOVE your new header! Enjoy your week-end!

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  17. Thanks for the tips - I've never found any growing. We'll have to go by the creek we say "crick" and look for some!

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  18. Warm and muggy here, rain … our fall weather left soon after it started. But we have some color now. Interesting about how you harvest some bittersweet. I will have to look but I don't think we have it here. I do have some faux stuff but that doesn't count!

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  19. You did turn the calendar page to a new header! Lovely!

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  20. I have a lot of tired foliage around here but I've never seen bittersweet that I know of. I do see that it can be a problem around here. Like your header!!

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  21. Hmmm... maybe I should go scouting around looking for tired foliage. It might just end up being beautiful in a basket.

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  22. Thanks for the tip Vee. I have a few secret places I go for bittersweet. Glad you gave me tips on spotting it, will look for some more spots. ~ Abby

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  23. Your new header is gorgeous!

    I've never found such an abundance of bittersweet in one location. You must not have a lot of cropland in your area. In the Midwest it's difficult now to find bittersweet because the farmers use so many chemical sprays to kill weeds.

    Wasn't it breathtaking just to see all of that bittersweet in one location? I think I would make many trips back just to take it all in (visually!).

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    1. True! Not much farmland, mostly woods. I do go back and look at it often. Almost daily and today I saw it all over the place: in people's backyards, along the river, hanging over a schoolyard fence...

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  24. Thank you for the lesson in finding bittersweet! I will keep my eyes open. :-)

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  25. Vee, I have never seen it growing myself. I will be looking for it now. I love your new header photos. So warm. xoxo,Susie

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  26. I'm going to look and see if I can find any bittersweet around here. Don't recall seeing any.

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  27. I remember seeing bittersweet growing amongst the oak trees but usally in the summer...didn't realize it would choke the trees!!!
    hugs
    Sandi

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  28. I am going to check our swampy area tomorrow! I'd love to find some real bittersweet!

    Deanna

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  29. Your pictures and your header as all so, so pretty Vee! I love bittersweet and we have some growing where I work but I've not seen it in the "wild". I'll have to look for it - would be a lovely addition to my Fall/Christmas decor - that is once I start decorating - eek!

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  30. Now I've GOT IT!!!
    We have some terrible vines here - noxious weeds - that climb through trees and eventually strangle them - so sad as I have a great empathy with trees (and elephants and children)!
    The berries are so pretty none the less and make for great decorating as you have done Vee!

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  31. It is not feeling at all like November here in Kansas...more like September I would think. It is sunny and warm!

    I must find out if we even have bittersweet growing in my neck of the woods. It's sure pretty!

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  32. I love bittersweet! I make do with faux, but the real deal would be fantastic!

    Very nice mosaic...the frames and effects are not what is available on PicMonkey, but since that is pretty much all I use for editing these days, I have not seen yours. Oh, and your new header is beautiful!

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  33. Thanks for the tips. I'll keep looking for it.

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  34. Good Saturday Morning, Vee. The bittersweet is so pretty. I have never seen any growing here. Finally, GA's leaves are colorful but it is still warm. Hard to believe it's Nov. already. Hope you have a nice day.

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