What is a Smilax vine?
Smilax, also called deer thorn, catbrier and “that *^ !!@ %* !! sticker vine”, is one of the toughest perennial vines with which a gardener has to contend. The thorny vine with waxy, heart-shaped leaves wends its way through azaleas, English laurel and perennial flower beds with impunity.
Is Smilax edible?
Smilax is an edible wild plant that is making some inroads in the agriculture industry. All parts of the plant are nutritious and delicious. Smilax vines in the garden can provide a unique food source while adding natural beauty.
Can Smilax grow in the woods?
The plant prefers moist woods and is often seen climbing trees. Plants can also grow in slightly dry conditions and will become a literal briar patch if there is nothing but itself upon which to climb. Smilax is an extremely vigorous plant with pinkish bamboo-like vines bearing small thorns.
How many species of Smilax are there?
There are around 300 known species in the genus Smilax. The known and used form in the eastern and southern part of the U.S. is a briar vine. It is one of the few twining vines that bears thorns.
Is Smilax vine edible?
Smilax Plant Uses The young shoots are excellent eaten raw or as you would asparagus. Berries are delicious raw or cooked into a jam or jelly. Roots can be ground, dried, and used like flour. The roots can also be used like any root vegetable– boiled, stewed, or roasted.
Are Smilax berries poisonous?
To be honest the genus name Smilax has nothing to do with smiling; one interpretation is the word was originally derived from a Greek word for "poison," even though Greenbrier berries apparently are non-toxic.
Is all Smilax edible?
Cooked like asparagus or green beans, they are excellent, and also edible raw in small quantities. the meristem stage, that is, the growing part is almost always the most tender because the cells haven't decided what it is they're supposed to do, such as get tough and hold up the plant or create an odor or the like.
What can you do with Smilax?
Perhaps the most effective way to keep smilax out of your shrubs and trees is to prune it back to the ground as often as possible. This works better than you might imagine, as smilax needs a lot of light to survive.
How do you identify Smilax?
If you can trace the vine back, it's easy to identify Smilax. The indelible old vine shows both the browned tendrils and the sharp, spikey thorns. The bright green shoot of tender new growth is perfect for harvest. Another variety of greenbriar, with triangular leaves, but also showing both thorns and tendrils.
Where does Smilax vine grow?
Smilax spp. Approximately twenty-four species are native to North America, with fifteen species growing in South Carolina. Smilax grows well in moist shade and is an important food source and habitat for wildlife, including birds, rabbits, and deer.
Can you eat greenbrier leaves?
Use: Greenbriers (and Catbriers) are good as asparagus, in salad, and cooked by using the young shoots, leaves, and tendrils. If the rootstocks of these vines are crushed and washed, the red powder can be boiled in water to make a "mild jelly," according to the Peterson's guide.
What does greenbrier taste like?
The texture is reminiscent of small asparagus but the taste is very mild with a hint of acidity. The new greenbrier growth can be eaten raw or cooked, just make sure it is new growth that hasn't aged to the point that the thorns have hardened.
What is the common name of Smilax?
catbriersThey are climbing flowering plants, many of which are woody and/or thorny, in the monocotyledon family Smilacaceae, native throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Common names include catbriers, greenbriers, prickly-ivys and smilaxes.
What kills Smilax vine?
Smilax briar has very large tubers and extensive, woody roots. As a result, herbicides don't do much good on it since it has such glossy leaves and so few of them.
How do you grow Smilax vines?
Soil Requirements The smilax vine grows in any soil condition but grows better in well-drained soils. As a crawling vine, if the soil and horizontal space are limited, it is best to provide anchorage such as trellises or dead trees where the vine may cling.
How do you get rid of invasive vines?
0:401:30Here's how to stop vines from taking over - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd vine killer it's try clipper and this is what we'll use to kill the root system. So what you doMoreAnd vine killer it's try clipper and this is what we'll use to kill the root system. So what you do is you get close to the ground. Where. It's growing out you want to make a cut.
Are Greenbrier berries edible?
You can get your legs tangled up when you're climbing through to get the berries. Roundleaf greenbrier is an often underutilized native wild edible. This plant has edible parts that are available during much of the year, even in the winter when there are not a lot of other wild edibles available.
Is the Greenbrier edible?
Use: Greenbriers (and Catbriers) are good as asparagus, in salad, and cooked by using the young shoots, leaves, and tendrils. If the rootstocks of these vines are crushed and washed, the red powder can be boiled in water to make a "mild jelly," according to the Peterson's guide.
Are sarsaparilla berries edible?
The fruit are smooth, dark purple to black, and berry-like. Although they look like a blueberry, they are not edible. Bristly sarsaparilla typically grows in sunny locations and is well-adapted to droughty sites with gravelly, sandy, or rocky soils.
Is Prickly Ivy edible?
For one thing, the tender shoots emerging from the hard tubers in the spring are a tasty treat whether eaten raw, steamed, or sautéed in butter. For those of us that encounter this plant in its mature and thorny state, this is also payback for the many scratches and scars that these vines can inflict.
What is the color of smilax vines?
Looking closely at the smilax vines’ leaves, it has a shiny deep green color with parallel venation. Also, this vine can either protect or harm with its prickly stems. Sometimes, some leaves stay attached even during winter but the leaves that fall tend to leave their leaf stalks connected to the stem. Some caterpillars, such as the Curve-lined owlet moth, use the smilax leaves as their host plant.
What does a smilax vine look like?
As the smilax vine matures, it produces berries that are spherical and shiny with 1-4 pea-sized seeds inside. The color of the berries can vary from shiny blue-black to red, either color tends to attract humans and animals.
What is the color of a glauca leaf?
Commonly known as Cat Greenbrier and Wild Sarsaparilla, the S. glauca prefers to grow in woodlands just like the S. tamnoides and S. bona-nox. Its distinguishing characteristic from other species is its distinct leaf colors. The upper surface of the leaf is dark green but the lower surface has a strong gray shade.
Where does Sarsaparilla vine grow?
The Sarsaparilla Vine or S. pumila grows in different parts of the north to central Florida. The stems, petioles, and the underside of the leaves have tiny hairs which make this species distinct from the others
Does a smilax vine grow in a well-drained soil?
The smilax vine grows in any soil condition but grows better in well-drained soils. As a crawling vine, if the soil and horizontal space are limited, it is best to provide anchorage such as trellises or dead trees where the vine may cling.
Is a smilax vine edible?
Coming from the Smilacaceae family, with numerous species of herbaceous and woody vines, the smilax vines are known to be an edible wild plant. It goes by the names greenbrier, catbrier, sarsaparilla, Jackson vine, bamboo vine, and carrion vine. Different species are known to be native in Canada, U.S. Virgin Islands, Hawaii, Lower 48 states, and Puerto Rico.
Can Smilax vines be used in landscapes?
The Smilax vine can either put a smile on your face or take it away. As a fast-growing vine, it can easily take over any landscape and become a serious weed problem. However, the vine can also be used in the landscape as it can capture the attention of the users because of its leaf shape, faint smell, and sharp prickles.
What is a smilax?
Family: Smilacaceae. Uses (Ethnobotany): The rhizome has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for infections and inflammatory conditions as it is believed to have antioxidant, antiviral, renoprotective, immunostimulatory, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, and anticancer properties.
What is Smilax Glabra?
Description. Smilax glabra is known as Tufuling in traditional Chinese medicine and in Hindu Ayurvedic medicine. The root is believed to have anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties. Lab studies suggest that it may have antiviral properties and may stimulate the immune system.
Can smilax glabra be found in humans?
However, studies have only been conducted on rats and it is not known if the same effects would occur in humans. This plant is not readily available in North America. In its native Asian habitats, Smilax glabra grows in trees and over large shrubs, climbing by tendrils that wrap around twigs, branches.
What is a smilax vine?
What are Smilax vines? Smilax is an edible wild plant that is making some inroads in the agriculture industry. All parts of the plant are nutritious and delicious. Smilax vines in the garden can provide a unique food source while adding natural beauty. The vines are cover and fodder for numerous wild birds and animals and its tubers, stems, leaves, ...
How many species of smilax are there?
There are around 300 known species in the genus Smilax. The known and used form in the eastern and southern part of the U.S. is a briar vine. It is one of the few twining vines that bears thorns. In fact, Smilax roots were made into a pipe, hence the name for a pipe bowl was “brier.”.
Can you eat smilax root?
In addition to its medicinal potential, Smilax can be made into numerous recipes. The young shoots are excellent eaten raw or as you would asparagus. Berries are delicious raw or cooked into a jam or jelly. Roots can be ground, dried, and used like flour. The roots can also be used like any root vegetable– boiled, stewed, or roasted.
Can smilax vines be used as ground cover?
It can also make a useful ground cover that will help stabilize soil and create homes for wild beasts. For the foraging gardener, Smilax vines in the garden as part of an edible landscape provides numerous food options for vegetarians, vegans, or simply natural food enthusiasts. NOTE: Before planting anything in your garden, ...
Can smilax vines be left wild?
In rare instances, Smilax vine control in the form of slashing can keep the rampant plant in check for ornamental purposes, but it is generally best to leave it as a wild plant.
Is a greenbrier vine ornamental?
As stated, using greenbrier vines as an ornamental is probably more trouble than it’s worth. However, with careful management, the plant can be a beneficial addition to the wild, native garden.
How tall do Smilax plants grow?
Description. On their own, Smilax plants will grow as shrubs, forming dense impenetrable thickets. They will also grow over trees and other plants up to 10 m high, their hooked thorns allowing them to hang onto and scramble over branches. The genus includes both deciduous and evergreen species.
How many species of smilax are there?
Nemexia Raf. Parillax Raf. Aniketon Raf. Dilax Raf. Coprosmanthus Kunth. Pleiosmilax Seem. Sarsaparilla Kuntze. Smilax is a genus of about 300–350 species, found in the tropics and subtropics worldwide. In China for example about 80 are found (39 of which are endemic ), while there are 20 in North America north of Mexico.
What is the name of the plant that is used to make sarsaparilla drink?
American sarsaparilla ( S. aristolochiifolia) from Köhler's Medicinal Plants. An extract from the roots of some species – most significantly Jamaican sarsaparilla ( S. ornata) – is used to make the sarsaparilla drink and other root beers, as well as herbal drinks like the popular Baba Roots from Jamaica.
What is a section of Nemexia?
Section Nemexia includes unarmed herbaceous plants of temperate North America, for example " carrion flowers " like the smooth herbaceous greenbrier ( S. herbacea ). Section Heterosmilax represents a previous separate genus that was found to be embedded within Smilax, and was reduced to a section within it.
Do smilax berries have seeds?
The berry is rubbery in texture and has a large, spherical seed in the center. The fruit stays intact through winter, when birds and other animals eat them to survive. The seeds are passed unharmed in the animal's droppings. Since many Smilax colonies are single clones that have spread by rhizomes, both sexes may not be present at a site, in which case no fruit is formed.
Who wrote the medical plant of 1887?
Köhler' s Medicinal Plants of 1887 discusses the American sarsaparilla ( S. aristolochiifolia ), but as early as about 1569, in his treatise devoted to syphilis, the Persian scholar Imad al-Din Mahmud ibn Mas‘ud Shirazi gave a detailed evaluation of the medical properties of chinaroot.
Is the genus Aspera monophyletic?
The genus has traditionally been considered as divided into a number of sections, but molecular phylogenetic studies reveals that these morphologically defined subdivisions are not monophyletic. Subdivision is best considered in terms of clades (A–D), corresponding to biogeography, with the main divisions being Old World (clades C, D) and New World (clade B) with the exception of S. aspera, that appears to be sister to all other species (clade A) and has a tri-continental disjunction.
How does a smilax plant grow?
As the smilax begins to grow from seed , it sends up a single shoot and produces an underground tuber. As the plant matures, a large cluster of bulbous roots is created. Only a few shoots will arise from the root mass; the majority of the roots lie dormant.
What is a sticker vine?
Smilax, also called deer thorn, catbrier and “that *^ !!@ %* !! sticker vine”, is one of the toughest perennial vines with which a gardener has to contend. The thorny vine with waxy, heart-shaped leaves wends its way through azaleas, English laurel and perennial flower beds with impunity.
Flora and fauna
Morphology
- Larger greenbrier vines are capable of growing upright at least six feet. The production of tendrils allows the vines to stabilize their height by tightly hanging onto shrub branches and low hanging tree limbs. These tendrils are actually modified stems that start out green and pliable, but once wrapped around a branch or twig of a nearby woody plant, they mature and harden. Impenetrabl…
Symptoms
- Greenbrier thorns (actually prickles) may be green and quite small on some species or very large and multi-colored on mature vines of other species, such as on the saw greenbrier (Smilax bona-nox), another one of the common greenbriers in SC. These thorns actually aid in the support of the vines as they snag on nearby branches of shrubs and trees. Some species also have spines alon…
Description
- A third common greenbrier in SC is Smilax glabra (called the cat greenbrier), which can be distinguished from other species by its pale colored, lower leaf surface. The leaves are typically mottled (that is, lightly spotted) but have no spines along the leaf margins.
Appearance
- Not all greenbrier vines are troublesome weeds. The lanceleaf greenbrier or bamboo vine (Smilax smallii) is practically thornless and makes a very attractive climbing vine for training on trellises. The leaves are shiny green, and the vines will grow to approximately 8 feet high. Its fruit are initi…
Management
- Chemical control of greenbriers is difficult because their extensive root system can regenerate new vines from further back along the knobby rhizomes, and the waxy foliage resists the uptake of sprays. If the greenbriers to be controlled are only a few small individual plants, it is possible to dig up the rhizomes. However, if it is a larger vine, then chemical treatments will be necessary.
Uses
- Triclopyr is a broadleaf herbicide that is absorbed by the mature foliage of greenbrier vines. Spray the foliage with a solution of triclopyr (9 fluid ounces of a 61.6% product with water to make a gallon of spray, or a 50:50 mix of an 8 or 8.8% product with an equal amount of water). See Table 1 for examples of products containing triclopyr.
Botanical Information
Grow, Care and Maintenance
- Sun Requirement
The vine can grow in either full sun, partial shade, or full shade. However, it will be best if exposed to full sun especially if you want the plant to flower. - Water Requirements
The versatility of this plant might surprise you as it can tolerate drought while some species prefer flooded areas.
Potential Harm
- The smilax vine is a fast crawler which makes it a tough weed to handle. Reports are saying that even when this vine is burned to the ground, its rhizomes can still germinate and create a new plant. This is why manual weeding or cutting down the plant is not enough as a control measure. Usage of herbicides is recommended to eradicate the vine. The ...
Uses
- In the landscape, the smilax vine is used to soften some parts by letting it crawl all over different structures and fixtures. It prefers to cling to trees and moist wood. Keeping this in mind, make sure that this vine is placed away from the trees you are growing as it can disrupt the growth of the tree. The smilax vine also serves as a ground cover. In terms of edibility, the stems and leave…
Identifying Differences Between Common Species
- Smilax bona-nox
S. bona-nox goes by the name Saw Greenbrier. This species is usually found in woodlands and is differentiated by its rough-textured lower stems and prickles of the main shoot. - Smilax laurifolia
Found in different areas along rivers, the S. laurifoliais commonly called the Bamboo Vine or Laurel Greenbrier. Some of this species’ distinct characteristics are its red petioles and its leaf veins. If observed closely, its leaves have a more noticeable midvein in comparison to the latera…
FAQs
- Finally, check more fast growing climbing vinesyou can grow. *Photo of Smilax aspera (common smilax) by gsafarek/depositphotos