Oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus) is on the APA's invasives list but not the American (Celastrus scandens). In fact, the APA's list of alternative plants recommends American Bittersweet as a replacement for its evil cousin, the Oriental.

I guess they suppose since it is slower growing, property owners have more time to control it by cutting it back before it gets out of hand.

The referenced page refers to the "strangling" of trees that this plant does. That's what I based my post on.

I bought some American Bittersweet (C. scandens) from our local Soil Conservation Service last year, as a wildlife food source. Planted it in a thicket of invasive Buckthorn and Honeysuckle. If it girdles those, all the better!