"To grow bittersweet vines or not to grow bittersweet vines: truly a bittersweet decision for landscapers." "There are two vines with yellow and orange berries commonly called "bittersweet." They look very much alike. One, an innocuous vine indigenous to North America with smooth stems, is Celastrus scandens, also called "American bittersweet" plant or "false bittersweet." The other, an exotic vine that is among North America's most invasive plants and whose stem bears blunt thorns, is Celastrus orbiculatus, or "oriental bittersweet" vine." Here is a link that might be useful: More info about bittersweet

lkzia... unique name by the way took me 6 times to spell it right LOL :) I think you might have answered your own question.. You said "They really aren't around this area" "Only the toughest trees survive here" Your right they cant survive where they ain't even growing or EVEN AT for that matter LOL... think about it. And as far as being tough enough, well there isn't another tree on the planet that can survice a atomic bomb blast within 5 meters of where the bomb landed like this one did in Japan.... ITS TRUE go to DAVE'S GARDEN and type in tree of heaven and there is a link that documents It. Now tell me how many tress would survive that? LOL Im looking for some seeds of this tree, if ya got any and want to part with em let me know. I know how to make the tree very resistnat to round up.. simply apply it till it ALMOST dies then stops each time it should get stronger. LOL well at least Im thinking.

I'm not so far from you, and most of the cherries that come up here are native. They're aggressive and weedy, but they are native. Are you certain that yours are not? Planting some fast growing trees could be a good start. The ones you've mentioned, plus Cercis, Liriodendron, beech and others.

If it is nut sedge and it looks like it except for the little bloom, maybe I kill mine before that comes on. You can not get rid of it by pulling it out. There is a special spray that will kill it by Ortho if I remember right, $8. It may take 2 or 3 applications. The reason you can't pull it like most weeds is there is a little nut on the end of the roots that will not come out when you pull it. It breaks off and grows into another plant. It likes wet places to grow.