Description
Smilax – Saraparilla – Greenbrier – Catbrier –
There are about 200, usually dioecious, woody, deciduous or evergreen climbers and herbaceous perennials, in this genus. They are found naturally occurring in tropical and temperate regions, often making impenetrable thickets, in woodlands. They produce alternate, simple, sometimes shallowly lobed leaves, which are elliptic, or broadly ovate to rounded, some truncate or heart shaped at the bases, they have curled tendrils, and are often borne on zigzagged prickly stems. The small, sometimes fragrant, star shaped flowers are green, greenish white, yellow, or brown. Flowers are followed by 1/4″ diameter spherical, black or red berries. Train onto a tree or pillar, or against a warm, sunny wall.
Grow against a support in moderately fertile, well drained soil in full sun or partial shade. Divide in spring or autumn.
Prone to rust and a variety of leaf spots occur.
S. china – This scrambling, woody deciduous climber from China, Korea, and Japan climbs to 15′ feet high. From sparsely prickly shoots it carries oval, pointed, dark green leaves, to 3″ long and across. In spring it bears small umbels of tiny, yellow green flowers, up to 1/8″ across. On female plants flowers are followed by spherical, bright red berries, 3/8″ across, in autumn.
Zones 7-10
