Celastraceae is a family of mostly woody plants—shrubs, small trees, and climbing vines—found across tropical and temperate regions worldwide. Several members are ecologically significant, horticulturally popular, or medically important:

• Bittersweet (Celastrus scandens) – Native North American vine with showy orange fruit.
• Oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus) – Invasive climbing vine from Asia, now widespread in eastern North America.
• Burning bush (Euonymus alatus) – Popular ornamental shrub known for its brilliant red fall foliage; invasive in many regions.
• Spindle tree (Euonymus europaeus) – Valued in gardens for its colorful fruits and striking structure.
• Thunder god vine (Tripterygium wilfordii) – Traditional Chinese medicinal plant, toxic in high doses.
• Maytenus species – South American and African shrubs and trees with local medicinal and ornamental use.

These plants thrive in forest edges, scrublands, and woodlands. Many produce bright fruits or aril-covered seeds dispersed by birds. While several species are attractive in cultivation, others—especially Oriental bittersweet and burning bush—are aggressive and ecologically disruptive. Phylogenetic research has redefined the family’s boundaries, incorporating several former groups such as Hippocrateaceae, and placing Celastraceae within the order Celastrales, clade rosids [1], [2].

References

1. Kew Science. (n.d.). Celastraceae. Plants of the World Online
2. Missouri Botanical Garden. (n.d.). Celastraceae. Tropicos Database
3. Simmons, M. P. (2004). Celastraceae. In The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants, Vol. VI. Springer
4. Judd, W. S., et al. (2016). Plant Systematics: A Phylogenetic Approach (4th ed.). Sinauer Associates
5. Wikipedia Contributors. (2025, April 30). Celastraceae. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia