Rank Species | Genus Smilax Higher classification Smilax | |
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Similar Smilax, Smilax glauca, Smilax bona‑nox, Smilacaceae, Smilax herbacea | ||
Smilax rotundifolia catbrier
Smilax rotundifolia, known as roundleaf greenbrier and common greenbrier, is a woody vine native to the eastern and south-central United States and to eastern Canada. It is a common and conspicuous part of the natural forest ecosystems in much of its native range. The leaves are glossy green, petioled, alternate, and circular to heart-shaped. They are generally 5–13 cm long. Common greenbrier climbs other plants using green tendrils growing out of the petioles.
Contents
The stems are round and green and have sharp spines. The flowers are greenish, and are produced from April to August. The fruit is a bluish black berry that ripens in September.
Smilax rotundifolia
Cultivation and uses
Common greenbrier grows in roadsides, landscapes, clearings and woods. In clearings it often forms dense and impassable thickets. It grows throughout Eastern North America from Nova Scotia in the east, to as far north as Ontario and Kansas, south to Florida and as far west as Texas.
The young shoots of common greenbrier are reported to be excellent when cooked like asparagus. The young leaves and tendrils can be prepared like spinach or added directly to salads. The roots have a natural gelling agent in them that can be extracted and used as a thickening agent.