American bittersweet

American bittersweet Celastrus Scandens is a native (but see note below) woody-stemmed perennial vine with short, softly ovalled, slightly toothed, often shiny leaves that taper to a point. Left to its own devices it will trail out in a mass along the ground, but it will also climb and ornament posts and trellises, and so it's an alternative to non-native Euonymous or English ivy.

It can be planted at any time during the growing season except in high heat; it needs at least partial sun. American bittersweet should not be confused with Bittersweet Nightshade Solanum dulcamara, nor with Oriental Bittersweet, Celastrus orbiculata, an invasive, lookalike Asian variety which has rounder leaves and is starting to crowd out the native variety in many American forests.

Update:  Numerous recent sources I've read indicate that most bittersweet being sold at nurseries is the non-native variety. Also, the invasive may be self-hybridizing with the native variety. For that reason, guides are saying "don't plant bittersweet" at all unless you can be 100% certain it's 100% American bittersweet.