Smilax glauca

Common Names

Wild Sarsaparilla, Sawbrier, Cat Greenbriar, Catbriar, Whiteleaf Greenbrier, Glaucous-Leaf Greenbrier

Summary

Smilax glauca is a native North American climbing woody vine with tuberous rhizomes and slender prickles on green or mottled stems, leaves are deciduous to semi evergreen, broadly ovate with 3 or 5 prominent veins and a glaucous underside, and the plant can reach 5 meters or more, climbing by tendrils, with fragrant yellow to bronze flowers in late spring to early summer followed by blue to black berries 8 to 10 mm in diameter that are eaten by birds, and it occurs from New England to Florida and west to Texas and Mexico in dry to wet woods, thickets, hedgerows, and roadsides, it is notable for its glaucous leaf undersides and weedy tendency, and is often found as a dense, extensive climber in its range. In cultivation, Smilax glauca is hardy to USDA zones 4b to 10b, tolerates sun to semi shade and a wide range of soils from sandy to heavy clay, and is drought tolerant though moisture can help, growth can form dense thickets and may be difficult to eradicate once established, with fire risk described as extreme and not suitable for defensible space. Propagation is by seed (sown in spring, temperate seeds may require cold stratification and two or more years to germinate) or division in early spring, with cuttings of half ripe shoots taken in July, edible uses include leaves and roots, with roots boiled into jelly or dried into powder and young shoots edible raw or cooked, and several ethnobotanical uses such as tea from leaves and stems for rheumatism and stomach problems, plus prickles used as counter irritant.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

16.5 feet

Spread

1-3 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 4b-10b

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full Sun to Partial Shade.

Soil Type

Well-drained loamy soil that remains consistently moist, with a slightly acidic to neutral pH.

Soil Drainage

Well-drained loamy soil (not waterlogged)

Soil pH

No single ideal pH, tolerates a wide range from acidic to alkaline, commonly around pH 6–7

Bloom Color

Yellow to bronze

Bloom Time

Spring and Summer.

Foliage Color

Glaucous-green

Fall Foliage Color

No fall foliage color

Leaf Lifecycle

Semi-deciduous

Growth Rate

Rapid growth.

Seasons of Interest

Spring and Summer

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Division, Cuttings

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees, butterflies, and birds