American Bittersweet is a native deciduous twining vine with serrated yellow-green foliage and is known for its showy red fall berries.  Small greenish white to yellow flowers bloom in clusters in late spring, and if the female flowers are pollinated will give way to orange-yellow fruits in summer.  The fruits split in fall revealing scarlet berry-like seeds that persist in winter.  Fruits best in full sun and moist well-drained soil.  American Bittersweet has separate male and female plants, both are needed to fruit.  While the fruit is favored by birds, they are toxic to other wildlife.